New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-15
ruBEE CHARRED CORPSES.
FATAL FIRE IN A TENEMENT-HoUSE.
,,,,ry BURNED TO DEATH-HERoIsM DIS
PLAYED BY FIREMEN IN REscUING
THE INMATES.

AIMING the early nourS OF yesterday III ON0 NV
s,orv brick house No 1921 Third-ave. In that
bouse lived six families. Before the fremen had
got the flames and smoke under control, three
,,n-sons. who lived in the front of the fifth floor,
were burned almost beyond recognition Iheir
names are Philip Brady, ffty-fve years old
Catherine Brady, his wife. forty years DID, ana
Joseph Brady, his son, aged thirteen.
The building in which the fire occurred is on
the northeast corner of Seventy-fourtn-st' anu
Thrd-ave, and is divided of into Two sets OF
apartments, front and rear, the windows OF the
front looking out on Thrd-ave., while those in the
rear front on Seventy-fourth-st Adjoining the
house in Seventy-fourtb-st. is small one-storS
building. used as a 5utcher-shop and occupied by
IL A Kroeger The groundhoor of the burncd
building was used as a grocery stoIe by J. j.
Cnrry. who owns the property, and who, with his
wife and little GIRL lived on the second floor
Il was shortly after half-past yesterday morn
inc when Police Officer Bonikampf of the Twenty
ffth Precinct who was passing the house. saw q
c,eot push of smoke and flame burst from the
front windows Of the third floor. instantly he
ran 70 box No. 53l, at the corner of the street,
and sent out still alarm TO Engine Company No.
"a. who have their headquarters in Seventy-hIth-
81 The engine was on the spot inside OF
minute. but even then the fire had begun to Durh
with frightful force.
John Golden, foreman OF the company, "enU !"
box No 636 and sent out regular alarm, whlch
was quickly followed by another BY this time
the sleeping inhabitants of the house had been
aroused and, clad only in their nightclotheS' were
rushing wildly from window to window, crazed
with fear Here was opportunity for some
braye cool and reSolutc work by the iiremen, and
as usual they promptly avaied themselves OF IL.
In the front fiat of the fourth floor of the building
lived Mary Murphy, a feeble, alling woman oi
seventy-four With her were her sons Richard,
John and Henry Richard and Henry clambered
ont on the window.edge, and carefully stepping
from window to window, reached the adjoining
house No ,293 Third-ave.. in safety. Poor Mrs
Murphy could not climb, or even move hand 70
help herself She could only stand by the window
teetly moaning for help, stricken motionless by
the sight of the flames steadily creeping up from
the floor below.
So6eld and McGrath, two members of Engine
Company No. 44 started TO rescue her In a
moment they had scaling ladder in position and
then, through the smoke and fame Mc(irath
mounted to the fourth floor, ard, taking Mrs.
Murphy in his arms brought her down to the
street amid the wild cheers Of the crowd. Then,
Sofeld took his turn, and, running up the ladder,
brought down John Murphy, who had stood by
his mother TO the last.
While Sofeld was descending the ladder
tongue Of flame shot out from the third-foor
window just beneath his feet. For moment 1t
looked as though he would be penned in by fire,
but again his brave comrade, McGrath, mounted
the ladder and took the now unconscious John
Murphy from his hands. Having landed Murphy
safely on the pavement, McGath for the third time
went up the ladder, which was now almost de-
stroyed and helped Sofeld to descend. When
Sofeld touched the ground the ladder was black
with smoke and fame.
The building was provided with only one fire
escape. This ran down the rear of the house
70 the roof of the one-story store in Seventy
fourth-st Michael Lowry, who lived with his
wife and child in the rear Of the third floor, was
the first man out Of the building. lie had been
awakened by his wife, who told him that the
stairs outside their room were ablaze. Selling
his child Lowry made his way TO the fire escape
and clambered down TO the roof of the butchers
shop At one Of the rear windows he saw Mrs.
Doescher. widow who lived in the rear of the
fourth floor Having saved his child Lowry
ran up the escape and helped ont Mrs. Doescher.
Then he went back TO his room. seized his wife
in his arms and took her down. Curry, the grocery
man, had been awakened by fire, which he
said came from under lis bed. Probably bis
half-dazcd condition is responsible for this Idea
Once fairly awake however, he lost no time in
acting, and with his family quickly and safely
made his way out TO the roof of the butcher
shop
Philip Brady, who lived the fifth floor, prob
ably owes his dreadful fate 70 his noble forgctiul
ness of self in the face of death He was awak.
ened by the smoke. which poured in thick vol
umes into his room. HIS first thought was to
save Lawrence Barry who occupied the apart
ments in the rear. The Barry family were still
sleeping Brady reused them and ran to the
roof There escape was cut off by iron picket
fence, which divided No 1921 from the adjoin-
ing house. Then he ran 10 the fire escape and
bundled down the still halfsleepng Barrys. one
by onc. he himself had reached the roof OF tie
butcher shop il safety when he turned BACK
d" ] must 90 for my wife and boy" he said.
and cambeTed up the escape and into the house,
" be seen alive no more;
And row the heightened, trembling crowd hud-
died together or the roof Of the butchershop
found Themselves face 10 face with new danger.
Ordinarily II would have been easy for them 70
lower themselves e. the ground. But there, right
before their eyes. running along the front OF the
shop was row of huge Inurdcrous. LOOKING hooks
used use by butchers N for 'e RgPo' or ." even naPg1g 6weI
themselves by means of ropes. was Impossible
without impaling themselves on the spikes for
moment il seemsi thousN tbe nlen and women
on the roof. cut OF from all escape, must Slowly
But Heinrich lannIlauser an expressman, who
had seen the outbreak OF the tire, ran into the
stable of his employer. Mr.. Maxwell. ana got
long ladder This ladder he pnt against the root
Of the butcher shop and then helped the people 10
the sidewalk
When at last the flames were under control the
hTemen headed by Chief Bonner, maze their usual
tour Of the building. and on the fifth floor came
upon what at first looked like three chaTed logs
OF wood On closer inspection il was seen that
these wore the bodies OF the three }Fadys burned
out Of ali semblapce Of humanity. Except for
the wedding ring on Mrs. Brady's finger, 1t was
impossible TO distinguish the husband from The
wife
Brady was crouched in corner by the window
where he had sunk down in last effort to reach
the nre-escape Mrs Brady lay by his side. One
arm was thrown over hcr face while the other
was bent under her body The boy lay few
feet away from his parents II was Gear that
overcome by the smoke and dropped to the
ground. On Coroner Devy's permit the charfcd
coTpses were taken to an undertaKers there u
await bu,ia