Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-18
THREE LNESLOST.
Mrs. Helen McCready and Two
Children Of Randolph,
Lose Their Lives By Burning of Their
House, Monday Morning.
Woman and Son Burned to Death and Little
Girl AsphWiated.

Gardiner Dec. 1.-(SpeciaD. "A small
rented house on Windsor street. in Ran
dolph, belonging to Mr.. Marson, was
partially destroyed by fire, carly Monday
morning, by which the occupants, consist
ing OF woman who went by the name
OF Helen McCready, and her two small
children, boy and a girl, met their
death. The facts SO far as could be learned
are as follows:
Abort o'clock, neighbors discovered
the fire, the shed and ell then being all
ablaZe Admittance was gained to the
sleeping apartments through window,
and those entering found the Body of the
little girl upon the bed, apparently life
less. She was taken to neighboring
house and DR.. Lamb called. He did all
in his power to resuscitate her, but she
was overcome by the dense smoke, and,
beyond a few faint gasps, showed no signs
of life and expired.
The little girl was taken from the house
| by Frank Greenleaf the first person to ar
| rive at the scene.
The fire department promptly responded
and soon had the flames under control.
When an entrance was made to the kitchen
the body of the woman was found on the
| floor about three feet from the outside
| door. She was dead and the flesh had
| been burned from her face and lower
| limbs in a horrible manner. 1t is sup
| posed that she recovered consciousness
enough to attempt to escape but was over
come almost within reach of the door to
| the open air.
| On the threshold of the door between
the sleeping room and the kitchen was
| the body of the little boy, with the lower
limbs burned to % crisp.
| Coroner Hildreth viewed the bodies and
| deemed an inquest unnecessary, and the
remains were taken in charge by Under
| taker Wadsworth.
Mrs. McCready was about 35 or 40 years
of age and had been living at this house
| for about six weeks, it being said that the
woman had been driven away from Togus
on account of her bad habits. She had
made equally as bad a reputation here, as
she was intoxicated most of the time and
| kept low place
| A man who had been living at hei
house was lodged in Jail at Augusta, Sat
urday, for pocket peddling.
| 1t is said that the woman was of good
| family and that her home was in st.
John n b., but that dissipation drove
her from her friends. AS the woman re
| ceived a good sum of money every three
months, it is thought that they contri-
buted it toward her support.
| The children went by the name of Full
| ford or Folsom. The boy George was
years of age and Lille, the daughter, was
years.
When taken from the building the lat
| tor had on her cloak and rubbers and
must have gone to bed just as she came in
| from the street.
| The main house was badly gutted but
| can be repaired 1t was a very cheap
affair and insured for nearly its value.
The cause of the fire is unknown but
| may have been from the careless handling
eta lamp. The chimney to the house was
| thought by some to have been in defective
condition, but the stove in the Kitchen
twas filled with unburnt wood. The fire
Undoubtedly caught in or near the parti-
! tion between the kitchen and shed, as that
| it was here the most fire was.
i The latest information says that the
twoman was the divorced wife of lawyer
Inv the name of McCready, whose residence
is at present unknown, and that he mas
EIAen receiving alimopy every three
,saSnths. 1t is reported that she received
Esaine of this money, Saturday.