Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-10-06
Death IN 1HI FLAMES
Inmates ofa New York Tennement
Perish.
THREE OF THEN ROASTED ALIVE
Five Persons Iaetneratsd In . Raging
Sea OF karioas Eirs-An Awful
scene Centronts . Distracted
father-A Eirsman's Loss.

NEW loEA- OcI 0-NcW OK mas
been visited by another fire horror.
Three persons were burned to death
and suffocated and two boys were so
badly burned that they died after be-
ing removed TO the hospital. The dead
are: Mrs Annie Murphy. SO years old.
Of 2o3 Hudson street: Miss Katie Dunn.
2a years old. a dressmaker. who boarded
with Mrs. Murphy; Josephine Ryan, 5
years old. of Washington, ID. c.. Mrs
Murphy's niece: Martin ID. Toohey, IL
years old. died at the hospital 1t Q
o'clock; John Toohey. . years old. Mrs
Murphy's second son, died at the hospi-
tai.
The Are broke out in the five-story
tenement house ct Hudson and
Domirick street shortly after . o'clock
a. III William Murphy. his wife and
two children occupied the fifth floor.
Mrs Murphy climbed through the
top door TO the roof, her clothing
being In flames. There she burned
slowly 70 death Her charred corpse
was found on the roof by the fire
men. Josephine Ryan, who was
visiting the Murphy family. was
burned TO death in her bed. Katie
Dunn. who boarded with the Murphys,
was found in her bed asphy xiated by
smoke The fire started in q woodshed
In tho basement, and quickly igniting
the gas meters the flames rushed up
the elevator shaft to the top floor.
The policemen discovered the fire
and Immediately broke in the doors Of
the main entrance Ia the house on the
Dominick street side. Flames and
smoke rushed out and drove the police
men back Ine stairway leading to
the upper floors was winding one,
the center forming a shaft that was
filed with . scolumn Of fame. IL
was evident that it would be
impossible for the inmates of the
house, fifty in number, TO escape by
the stairs The policemen fastened to
the FIRE escape on the front Of the
building and shouted TO the panic
stricken occupants not to attempt to
descend by the stairs. Then they
climbed mp the Ere escape and ordered
the men. women and children to de-
send. In this they were assisted by the
frcmen. who had quickly answered the
alarm
Fireman Lucas on reaching the eth
floor found In the rear rooms Matthew
Ryan. a boxrnaker. who il widower.
end his three young children. almost
overpowercd by smoke and unable to
help themselves. He dragged them to
the window and with tho aid of his
comrades succeeded ia getting them
down the Gre escape safely. Just then
hook and ladder truck No. drove MP
and one If its fremen, William Muir
ply. sprgig to the ground. shouting:
"Great heavens. it's my housed
Where are my wife and children"
Before anyone could stop him he
rushed through the flames and smoke
and fought his way MP the stairs 10 the
firth floor There ne found the body
of his wife. burned almost beyond rec
ignition. lying IN the hallway Just ont
side her apartments.
A little farther away was the burned
form Of little Josephine Ryan. the
dead wornan's niece. She was still
living. bat died soon after. The body
OF Miss Katie Dunn was found at the
foot of . short ladder leading TO the
roof She had evidently been over
come by the smoke and burned to
death while seeking escape there.
The two boys John and Martin
Toohey, Murphy's stepsoas. were found
IN the room. They were removed TO
the rooms Of the Monticello club. across
the street. where the half-dressed ten
ants had found refuge. Thence the
boys were taken 20 St Vincent's
hospital where they died in short
time
MrS Murphy WAS married 10 Fire
man Murphy only one month ago.
She vas then the widow Of Policeman
Toobey.