The sun., 1894-04-27
FIRE BEGAN IN THE SHRINE.
a STATUE or At JOSEPH IN DIS
GRACE IN MULBERRY RRNR.

i
/ Ths Ho-sls Fsriiy Trsstes - His rretse-
tion end Had 10 Flee fror- Fis-es Throush
ths wi-dowr-some vaiuahiss Fi-si.e.
Deep IN Mulberry Bend cellar. half buried
| IN q heap OF rubbish. lies the Romolo family's
statue Of ST. Joseph. He was a very fine 81.
Joseph when the Romolos brought him over
from Italy. carved from beautiful wood aud
| Handsomely ornamsuted. Now the statues
nose is brok en-. his features chsrred. his costly
painted raiment burned or and tho big white
| lily that he bore In his hand IL gone. More
over. he IL without honor. although until yes
terday he had a shrine and golden ornaments
in the hall room on the top floor Of SO Mulberry
street, and for two hours yesterday morning
he lay in the gutter. whittier he had boen
tossed By the nremen. All this 10 a fate to
which statues are som etlmes exposed among
the Ignorant
The trouble with this particular st. Joseph
10 that he allowed the family which he was ex-
pected to protect TO be burned out In the dead
OF night. and even permitted his own shrine
to be violated and robbed. What is worse.
Gennaro Romolo has no insurance. as he con-
sldered the presence OF the saint sufnclent,
and what Is burned is a dead losa How the
fire started doesn't appear. but there are dark
hints about Mulberry Bend that the statue
may know something about II. for 1t began
Gennaro Romolo. his wife Barbara. and his
nve children were asleep In the room next to
the saints apartment at 2 o'clock yesterday
morning when the fire was discovered. Police
man Jim Downey OF the Elizabeth street sta
tion saw flames coming from the window and.
running up stairs. burst In the door Of the
Romolos bedroom.
Come out OF therep' he shouted. Your
house is anrel Get up or you'll all be burnt upl"
With one accord oil seven OF the Romolos
lifted up their voices and howled dlsma ally. but
not one Of them moved. Instead they put their
heads under the bed clothes, which mu1led
tho howls to some extent. but was OF lit
pedi ient policeman Downey. being a prsc-
tcal man. grabbed at the frat thing he
S Be- rs Ss sFn . ,nd whsh Dn.g Mss
Komo!o grabbed the hedbost and hung on
with a death grip. III, bed cracked and
on, and the policeman had to give up. He was
m more successful In the next attempt and got
lomolo swung out one hand. keeping hold OF
the bedpost with the other and grabbed
man. pull mother with even bets W that at the baby
would come out OF the tug Of war In sections.
hoanr s esns n,o II hs and gave s
brother policeman. who carried 1t into the
strength with Mrs, Romoio. but at the door he
was met by a cloud Of smoke that drove him |
out f Sy
The same snoke brought tho lomolo family |
to escape Death By @ was sns' t"s 10
get up out OF bed They got up and rushed to |
the the onnns tSar
bers Of Truck were On hand. and quickly put
elm bed. He got Mr. and Mrs. tcSoio and two
Of their children down In safety. Mt two OF the |
window. and couldn't be reached from the lad.
der Other hremen climbed to the roof and
caught Teresa by her one Carn, ent and pulled
her safely up. and moment later Victoria fol-
by this time the flames were pouring out Of
the window where the shrine had been, ana
-. joseph stood out In bold outline; Whom
they saw him the Italian crowd howled and
shook their fists. Then q stream OF water well
diI ected ilattened him out
aroni manufactured; Sahino Romolo. brother
o. the owner Of the discredited st. Joseph, was
and a picturesque costume. consisting chisiV
81 pillow which he franti"ally, but with
hin, as he ran out into the street. TomSso
Soh and Rosario l.amartino had also got out
hs sn' the nsd s prs s
MI MI TOOK ,v only few minptes s son failed 70
heca me known Gennaro Romolo who had hung
The family iewelry about the neck OF the saint
other Italians. and found that the iewelry was
gone. shortly aher ST. Joseph emerged from
he window head first and after a few undig-
D fed somersaults landed in the gutter.
But Gennaro wasn't the only loser. His
'hain aud $50 In cash. which had heen under
ais pillow. were gone. and he accused the re-
nen Of stealing them. The firemen say that
hey know nothing about tho valuRbles nnd
hat crowds Of people were tramping into the
rouse after the hre. any one OF whom might
lnNe committed the robbery. Detective |
)Rourke is working on the case. The police
'ut the damage from the fire ut $500. but the |
Italians say that II Is much greater.
They have thrown st. Joseph into the cellar |
md will be glad to trade oil his remains shrine