St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-18
Flames Spread Quickly.

Messrs. George Field, A. K. Baker
and A. A. BigeloW, members of the
club. were in the reception room at the
time the cry Of fire was raised. They
at once gave their attention to rescuing
some of the valuable pictures, but so
quick was the spread of the flames and
so dense the smoke that preceded them
that they were forced to give up the at
tempt and flee for their lives. Manager
Armour and Cashier Munger, of the
club, were more fortunate, as they man
aged to get number of the pictures
down and were about to carry them
from the building when they were told
by the firemen that the flames would be
confined to the upper stories and that
there would be no necessity of carrying
them out. They were piled in the cor
ner, carefully covered with tarpulin
and burned up-tarpaulin and all.
The fire originated in an empty room
in which some carpenters had been at
work during the day. 1t is supposed
that the shayings they left became
ignited in some way. The greatest eX-
element was occasloned among the
servants, sixteen of whom rOomed upon
the fifth floor. Two of the kitchen girls,
Kittie McCabe and Maggie Dewitt, were
ill in bed in the loom across the hall
way from that in which the flames
broke out. Mrs. Dempsey, the house
keeper. who discovered the flames, i'm
medately went to their room and
aroused them, and them went on to give
the alarm to the other servants. The
girls
Attempted to Dress
but the flames drove them out, and in
the. dense smoke they tried to grope
their way down the stairs. Miss Dewitt
was painfully burned about the hands
and face, and when she reached the
ground floor, clad only in her night
dress, her face was black from smoke.
Her companion, Miss McCabe, was not
seen by any one, and 1t is feared that
she failed to reach the ground in safety.
Miss Dewitt said of her at the hospital: !:
kitty was unable to dress, but started
after me down the stairway. [ looked
back several times and called for her to
come on, but the last time she seemed
to be enveloped in flames, and that was
the last saw of her,"
The flames spread so rapidly that none
or the servants Or men residing in the
house saved thing. The heaviest loser
is j. IS. Goodman, who has resided in
the club for several years. He had many
valuable pictures, and these, with his
library, were worth about $4,000.
Among the valuable paintings destroyed
was the noted painting entitled Peace
Makers" by &. p. r. Healy. There was
also a portrait of Gen. Grant. by Thomas
Leckler. There were several other por-
traits of the eX-presidents of the club.
most of them painted by Healy. One
canvas, representing conference be-
tween Lincoln, Grant, Sherman and
Admiral Porter, was valued at $4,000.
a AT midnight no trace of Kitte Nc
Cabe had been found. Manager Armour
of the club insists that she escaped, but
no trace of her has been discovered. r..
II. Redfeld, clerk of the club, died at IL
O'Clock from over excitement brought OIL
by the fire. He was subject to heart
disease. One of the assistant stewards
OF the club discharged this morning
for drunkenness was arrested tonight.
The club officers say they have no
charge against him and the police will
not say What-they want him for.