Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-23
CREMATED In HIS BED.
Old Francis Tucker Fails to Heed His
Sons Warning and Is
BURNED WITH HIS DWELLING.
A Mysterious and Fatal Fire Starts in Dis
puted Property.
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INCENDIARY

BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INCENDIARY
A fire of undoubted incendiary origin and
attended with fatal results occurred at 2
o'clock yesterday morning at Arch and
Shafer streets, Thirteenth ward. A double
frame house, in which lived Francis Tucker
aged 65 years, was burned to the ground.
Tucker was partially cremated and his wife
was slightly burned, but the other eight
members of the household escaped uninjured.
The Tucker family consisted of the father,
mother, and three sons, William, David and
Peter, William having wife and four chill
dren. They occupied the half of the double
frame dwelling, having four rooms, while
the other half, where the fire originated,
was vacant. The family had retired early
Saturday night except Peter, who had gone
to Hazelwood, and David, who was attend
ing theater. David returned home about
1 o'clock and, being an Englishman, sat
down to lunch in the kitchen before re-
tiring. An hour later he stepped to the
front door and, looking out, was startled to
see volume of smoke issuing from the sec
ond story of the vacant house adjoining
Rescuing the Family From Death.
David ran into the house and gave the
alarm, then started out again with the in
tention of going into the burning building,
but in the moment that had elapsed before
his return the whole house seemed to be in
flames, and he ran back to rescue the bal
ance of the family. With the assistance of
his brother William, the latter's wife and
four children, who were sleeping on the first
floor, were gotten out in safety, but by this
time the flames had eaten their way into the
family's apartments. and the aged father
and mother, who had been sleeping on the
second floor and who had been called when
the fire was first discovered, had not come
down.
David sprang up the stairs and caught his
mother, who was tottering about her room
half dressed. and carried her down the stair
way, but the front room was In flames rs he
passed through and the old lady's face was
severely scorched. William, in the mean-
time ran for his father. who was sleeping
soundly, and when told the house was
burning, testify called to his son to stop
foolinG.
Driven Back by Flames and Smoke.
William assured him that he was in deep
earnest and called to him to jump for his
life, but still tho old man heeded not, and
the son, cholled with smoke, was forced to
run out for air. Then he ran back again,
called the old man to come, and caught him
by the foot and pulled him partially out of
bed, but the flames were by this time on the
stairs and william, with final call to the
old man, jumped for his own lie and left
the old man behind. The front doorway was
burning as William rassed out the last time.
The firemen had arrived in the meantime,
but it was too late then to go back for the
old man, and by the time the fire was extin-
guished the house was practically burned to
the ground. When the body was recovered
it presented horrible sight. The arms and
legs were burned off almost to the trunk,
half its normal size The skull had been |
crushed in by falling timbers and the brains
exposed were wasted and burned, but the |
flesh on the face was In comparatively good |
condition, though the features were unre- |
cogniZaDle.
Narrow Escape OF tho Firemen. |
The hosemen OF No. Engine Company
had narrow escape from injury. They |
were playing water on the houses on the |
side next tie railroad, when the brick chin |
ney and part of the house fell toward them |
and crashed down over the hill The men |
had to drop the hose and run for their lives, |
md just got away whom the mass fell where
they Lad stood.
Coroner Mcdowell will inquire into the
of fuckers death yesterday,
Early yesterday morning the body was re-
moved to the morsue and the Coroner be-
gan an investigation, the evidence secured
BY him being practically as given above,
but he has vet isiled to discover the origin
lr the fire. No one has lived in the half of |
5he house where the fire originated for six
weeks, the Tucker family moving from 1t to
;he part occupied at that time. The circum-
stances under which they moved makes an
interesting story.
The house was owned by Philip O'Neill,
who has it insured for 81 5Oo but n few
months ago William Brownlee, who owns a
Irick house adjoining the one that was
burned. entered an ejectment suit on the
cround t Mt part OF O'Neil's house WAS rest
OTIS run back from Arch street at an acute
nele, but in building O'Neill had set his
louse square, and the rear portion was on
property yso!;tr At least the Court 50
compel O'Neill to vacate the house.
Dispossessed by the Sheriff:
The Tucker family were living In that por-
ion of the building at the time and under
dvice of 0'Seill and his attorney, c. F. Nc
lenna, the fuckers refused to heed the
jectment notice, and after two or three
avs their goods were SGT out on the street
v deputy sheriff. This was seven weeks
go. The fuckers moved into the other
ali of the house and the part vacated by
hem has been tenantless ever since, though |
'rownlee has had a toilet sign posted upon |
: In the antime ONeill and the fuckers
ave entered suit for $25, 900 damages against
he sheriff and Brownlee for dispossessing |
'Nell and lorcibly disturbing the fuckers |
When interviewed by the Coroner yester-
ay Brownlee declared that he could in no |
-ay account Tor the fire, though he was sat-
'fed it had been of incendiary origin. The
rick fire wall separating Brownlee's house
,om the burning building saved it from
though for time 1t was in
reat danger.
No One Offers Theory.
O'Neilrs house is four doors below, but |
oman in the neighborhood yesterday told
le Coroner that O'Neill had several days
20 moved part of his effects from his own
yelling. He also declares total ignorance
TO the cause of the fire.
The fuckers claim there had been no fire |
their portion of the house since early in |
le evening, and that they had not been in
le other part since the day they were ,
ected, when Brownlee took tile key. They
ad heard no one in the house during Satur- ,
ay evening, and David Tucker, who was the
rst to discover the flames, denies any
of their origin. The fuckers be-
eve some person set the house on fire, but
AXE no open accusations. The Coroner is
etermined to find the guilty parties, and
Ill question the witnesses closely on that
oint al the inquest to-day.