The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-20

end of Noble street, the last house on the
south side where Mr. Ford took his young
| bride when he married her last April.
They had it neatly furnished, and no
couple in the city were more happy in their
married life. more pleasantly situated or
more contented in their little home. In
the evening it was Mrs. Ford's custom TO
| come up town and accompany her husband
| home to supper. Last evening she had
| been helping to dress and lay out little
child who died on Reno avenue, and went
directly home from there without coming
up town. The family of II. p. Green live
across the street and the residence OF
| Councilman Taylor is the first one east.
| Both saw her enter her home, and few
minutes after Mrs. Green looked across
the street. saw flash of fire and heard
scream. She called TO her husband who
was in the yard, and he Immediately ran
across the street, bu. by the time be
reached the house the inside was mass OF
flames. He kicked in the front door, but
the flames drove him back. He then ran
around to the back door, but by the time
he got there the fire was so hot that it was
uncomfortable, and again he was driven
| back. By this time the crowd had began
to gather but for lack of appliances and
water nothing could be done but TO stand,
see the house burn and wait until the fire
got down low enough to be controlled.
The house was lined with tar paper, with
wall paper over that, and burned like tin
der, and in fifteen or twenty minutes was
entirely consumed.
Then began the search for the remains.
Everybody was hoping against hope that
il was all a mistake, that the poor lady
had got out and taken refuge in some
neighbor's house 1t was too horrible for
any one TO believe that she was in that
burning hell with hundreds of men
around, standing helpless, unable to give
her one particle of relief or assistance.
Water was brought and as much of the
fire as possible put out, and at last, after
a long search, the charred remains of what
a few minutes before had been Handsome,
moving. living body We're discovered.
Even then the people could not believe it
for the horror of it was too much. Wo-
men tainted and strong men turned away
heart sick, but few holder spirits, know
ing it must be done, tenderIy gathered to-
gether what they could find of the body.
OF course it was burned and charred be
yond all recognition--a mass of shriyeled
flesh and charred bones: a skull from
which all flesh had been burned, and a
body not recognizable as such. The limbs
and body had been seemingly melted into
each other, and made sight which no one
could look upon without a shudder.
They were taken to Meacham's under
taking rooms, arranged as best they could |
be and placed in a coffin.
An inquest was held by Sheriff Colcord, |
acting coroner, the jury being L. Country
man, Col. Croker, W. Fl. Winebrenner |
f. c. Meek, j. L. Carson and J. H. Berry |
They brought in verdict that 1.-THE de- |
ceased came to her death by burning, be
ing at the time in her house, said burning /
being from an unknown cause"
1t is believes she attempted to start fire !
in her stove with kerosene. Probably it |
did not burn quick enough to suit her and /
she turned the oil from the can onto the |
fire The flash seen by Mrs. Green would |
indicate this, and she was found within /
two or three feet of the stove. She had |
been in the habit of using kerosene for |
that purpose.
She had been married to Mr. Ford |
but a few months, their marriage oc-
curing last April. She was a daughter .
of Mr.. j. c. Calhoun, the brick
man, residing on the east end of Reno |
avenue, and was some 10 years of age
She had left her mothers home for her
own few minutes before the fatal occur
renee, full OF life and feeling eXtraordin-
airy well. Her parents are almost crazed /
by the sad affair, her mother being so /
greatly Frustrated that fears are enter
tanned she will not recover
Mr.. Ford was up town at the time of the
fire, just starting home. Ae did not know
it was his house but hurried home to be of
help to his neighbOrs. When he found it
WAS his own residence and that his wife
was supposed to be in it, he became crazed,
and it was only by the supreme exertions
of his friends that he was prevented from
dashing into the flames and attempting to
rescue her or recover her body He was
taken away, but up to a late hour last
night was insane with grief and will not
be comforted. The Masons, of which or
der be is a prominent member, hake taken
charge of him and have a committee
him 10 see that he does himself
no harm.