New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-04
FIVE CHILDREN STIFLED
r,,ry WE'RE LOCKED IN A BURNING HOUSE.
FRANTIC GRIEF OF THE MOTHERS WHO LEFT
THEM TO GO TO MARKET.

r,,xr1c GRIEF OF THE MOTHERS WHO LEFT
THEN TO GO TO MARKET.
Tho danger of leaving children locked in rooms
;. tenement houses was shown yesterday morning
- five children were suffocated in the top
49,. q, the house No 1914 lIcnry-st. Four #
r,,,o ones belonged to the family of Abraham
pa.rstein. a Hebrew tailor, who works in shop
:. Pile and Madson-sts They We're: Alta Bern
-.o,, hoy eleven years old; Rebccca, ten; lly-
~ six and Rachel, baby, six months old
Tro 9th victim was Fannie Roscn. seven years
.,1 . daughter Of Solomon Roscn. Only the
tain and Ros"n families lived on the top
a. of the .iN-,torv house Both of the men
w. Nv" 90 their work early yesterday morning.
,oa,;os their wives and children in apparent
,',n and safety Tie children We're asleep in
their beds -,
,,on, to the Hebrew market in EsseX-st Her
ho,r children were still asleep. and she locked
cha hall door 10 keep ont ntruders in her alb
CONGO Mr. Rc>cn soon followed Mrs. Bernstein
90 ,bc market She left her two little girls.
Fannie and Lille in bed, bat she did not lock
,he door opening 10 the hallway The women
wore 50 much absorbed in the work of getting as
much food as possible for their money that they
Aid not notice how quickly the time was pas>in.
7.lO a. m and the engines were seen rushing TO
the house in IIenry-st.
Four families lived on the fourth floor of the
bouse. among them that of Meyer Mcmpcrt.
kerosene stove which Mrs. Mcmpcrt lightin.
had farcd up suddenly and had set fire TO her
kitchen. An alarm 10 call the fremcn
was rung by Policeman Kelly. of the Madson-st
SQUAD Kelly had gone up the tire-escapcs
in the rear of the house. after sending
the FIRST alarm. in order 10 IIclp some of the
women and children down the iron ladders. lie
made his way - the top-Story landing. and there
in the binding smoke he met Lille Rosen. live
years OIL He caught the child in his arms. and
carried her down TO place of safety. She was
too nearly choked 10 tell of her sister. who was
still asleep in bed The flames went mp the
stairs to the top story quickly. and II was then
too late TO save the little ones.
The fremen were getting the flames under con-
troll when Mrs. Bernstein and Mrs. Roscn rushed
through the crowd in front of the house and be-
gan TO make inquiries for their children. They
became frantic with grief when they We're told
that the children had not been seen As soon as
the firemen were able TO enter the rooms on the
ton floor they began to search for the bodies Of
the children The fire had caused considerable
havoc in the room of the Roscn family, and in a
little Fannie Roscn, somewhat charred In the
rooms of the bernstein family the fire had not
done much damage to the furniture, hut the
smoke had sufocated the four children Alta
Bernstein. the oldest hoy, evidently had been
awakened and had tried TO escape. His body
was found near the locked door leading to IN"
landing. and close ny his hand was a hatchct,
with which he had tried to break open the door
The bode, Of his little brother and two sist Rs we e
found in beds in the slerpingroom The little faces
had not been burned. and their appearan' Indicated
that death had oveftaken the children in their
sleep.
When the worst was known Abraham Bern
stein ran 70 the house and began to npbrad his
wifc furiousy He called her murderer. caught
her by the hair of her head and dragged her about
until the police interfered. The woman walled
as if her reason he'd left her, and an ambulance
surgeon was not able to luict her She and her
husband We're taken TO the home of neighbor
and detained there for safety after they had
been seen TO beat their heads against the wall
as if they were determined to dash out their
brains.
Six families had been made homeless by the
fire. and the damage 10 property was sali 70 ne
atont $4,000. The house was said 10
belong 70 the King estate and TO be in
snred Some of the neighbOrs started q
subscription for the bernstein and Ros''n fami-
lies YESTERDAY afternoon. and raised money enough
20 pay for the burial of the bodies of the