The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-22
MAN ROASTED ALIVE
Disastrous Fire In Grocer
Kings Barn on West
Side Avenue Today.
THREE HORSES ALSO BURNED
Fire Engines Delayed by Work Of
the Consolidated Traction
Company.

A disastrous fire occurred on the Wesa
Side, last night, which resulted in the death
of a man and three horses and the entire
demolition of the barn of Grocer VIM. Nc
Lain King of Hoadly avenue. Mr.. Kings
store is at Hoadely and West Side avenues.
His barn was situated in the rear of the lot.
Mr.. King is the principal grocer of the West
Side and does large trade, keeping several
wagons and employing three horses. For
some time he has been employing q man
named Michael Farrell about the stables.
Farrell's work consisted of cleaning the
horses and stable and in helping about the
yard. For this Mr.. King fed him. kept him
in tobacco and allowed him to sleep in the
stables at night. He made his bed In the
hay loft.
THE ALARM GIVEN
Mr.. G. v. R. Vreeland, who lives at Wiz.
ginia and West Side avenues and who has
view of Kings place from his house, about
three o'clock this morning saw flames issu-
ing from the roof of the barn. He hastily
dressed and hurrying to the street pulled
fire box No. N. He then went to the stable
to do what he could. The whole neighbor-
hood in the meantime had been aroused and
there was an excited crowd of men there
before him. The place was mass Of flames
and they could not get within twenty-five
feet of it. The horses were screaming and
neighing piteously, but the people could
do nothing until the engines arrived. Mr..
King came from his house, which is directly
opposite the barn and was nearly frantic,
knowing that Farrell was within. He told
the men and they made desperate attempt
to get at him. They dashed at and burst the
door open, but nearly blinded by smoke
they were compelled to retreat. the inter
ior was seething mass of flame. They had
1x-a-& e..
roos fell in and the sides began to rock. Then
they knew that it was all up with Farrell.
At the same time the shrieks of the horses
grew fainter and fainter and finally ceased
altogether.
THE ENGINES DELAYED.
Every one was wondering in the mean
time what was keeping the fire engines. The
entire building collapsed before they arrived.
West Side avenue is torn up its entire length
by the Consolidated Traction Company, and
this delayed the engines. They could not
make any sort of time, having to turn back
and come down Boyd avenue. When they got
there they had hard work getting at the
hydrants, they being blocked by the piles Of
dirt. The barn was gone, but after an
hours hard work they were able to prevent
the fire from spreading. The kitchen above
the store was slightly charred, but no
further damage was done.
1t is supposed that in spite Of repeated
warnings Farrell was smoking in the hay
loft, and that it was a spark from his pipe
that caused the confagration. If that was
the case he must have been asleep or too
drunk to realize anything, when thei flames
broke out, and was probably dead before the
fire was discovered. No one heard any cry
from him, nor saw any signs of his trying to
escape.
FARREL's BODY FOUND.
The ruins of the barn were visited by
great crowds this morning. The disembowled
and charred bodies of the horses lay around
and presented a sickening spectacle. FarreFs
body was discovered among the debris, but
one arm which they hope to find later, is
missing. He was charred beyond recogni-
ton. He was taken to the Morgue where he
Mr.. Kings loss is estimated at about 81 900.