The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-04-26
BURNED TO DEATH.
Horrible Fato ofun East wheolIng
Womun Youtarday Morning.
MISS MARY JANE REDMANN BURNED
In tho House of her Brother. Law,
George nibbcrd, on Fourteenth
Street Near McColloch-Tho Sub.
stan,inl Brick House Practically Dc.
siroyod-Tho Exact Origin OF tho
Flames Can Only DO Conjcctnrod.

Shortly nitcr Q o'clock yesterday
morning q fire broke out in tho brick
residence OF George Hibbcsd, tho we'll
known plumber, who lived OH tho north
side Of Fourtoouth street, two doors
west Of McColloch. Tho exact origin OF
tho flames 10 not known, but Mary Jane
Redmann, a sister OF Mrs. ~Iiibberd's,
lost her life In tho burning building,
and several others made narrow o..
capes.
Tho blaze started in tho kitchen.
Mrs. Hibberd was tho only momber OF
tho family who was UP ut the time.
Tho flames spread 80 rapidly that she
had scarcely time to arouse tho other
members OF tho family and cot them
downstairs before tho entire rehr OF the
house was envclopcd In fire.
She walked hor three sons, who slept
In the front room upstairs, her hus-
band, who was in the middle room, and
her sister, Miss Rcdmann, who slept in
the rear room. Ono OF tho sons RAM out
and turned in n fro alarm from tho
nearest box. Mr.. IIibbCrd seeing that
his sistor.in-law was in imminent dan
ger, went to her room aud got her out
into tho hall, but sho was there APP
pallcd by the fro and refused to DO
stirred farther. Mr.. 1Iibberd escaped
by O window, and the window OF Miss
Redmann's room was thcn broken open,
but sho remained in tho hall and 1t was
impossible for aid to reach her.
She was no doubt first smothered to
death and then burned, as when found
her body was charred beyond ~recogni.
ton.
The department responded to tho
alarm in good time, but the blaze bad
gained such headway that tho house
was practically Quilted aud the walls
badly damaged before tho fire was OK
tinguished. The flames woro so in
tensely hot that the stone window caps
wore melted and crumblcd away.
The loss on the building will prob
ably reach $1,000, partly covered by iu-
surance. The house had been recently
repaired and rclttcd with hard wood
floors. Nothing was saved, 30 rapidly
did the fire spread.
Mrs. Hibberd, when she rose, went to
the kitchen and lighted tho fro in the
stove. She was attracted to tho yard
by a chicken which had caught its head
in the fence, and after she released it
she returned to the house. Just as she
entered tho kitchen again the fire burst
up, seeming to fill the whole room Mt
once. Whether there had been n leak
ago OF gas or what caused the explosion
can acarcely be conjcc.ured.
Mics Rodman was 80 years Of age and
was highly respected by all who know
her. The coroner was notified OF her
death, and made IN examination of the
body at Bertschy's undertaking rooms,
where it was removed soon after the
FIRE. Coroner Schultze took the testi.
mony OF Il OF the Llibberd boys, Al. V.
Hibberd. who was the only member of
the family who had recovered sufficient
ly to give n connected account OF the
occurrence. lie said, in substance
ABOUT 0 O'Clock my mother went out
into the yard. When she came back
the fire flashed up tho stairway; then
mother called to mo and l heard tho
lady scream, while l tried to rescue her,
but l was driven back by the fire. The
lady could not be gotten out for nearly
an hour on account OF the fire. Then
tho fitemen took the body out. She
was sullocated before she wa burnt, be.
cause SHE was naturally short OF breath,
owing to her rheumatic condition. Her
weight was about $50 pounds"
The coroner rendered a decision that
death was due to suttoca.ion by fire.