The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-09
A ROPE SAVED FIVE LIVES,
Eur TWO HBRE LosT M 4 SfeHF
PRE- IN. ETGHTH AVENUE

| Thrss wsmsu sna Ds~u ths Hspe, ard
ole of The- was More Thsn 7e Years
oId-Two Bsaiss Foust .. ths Rsiss.
Tive men lost their lives By nrs In Henry
Llskrs restaurant at 829 Eighth avenus
| shortly after 2 o'clock yesterday morning.
The building IL four stories in height II is
leased By LlskL who had q restaurant on the
first floor. He and his wife occupied one OF
the rear rooms on the second floor and the
| others he rented.
The IRE was discovered by Policeman Nc
Gee Of the wcst ThirtY-seventh street station.
He turned In an alarm. and then he and Police
man Coleman set about rouslng the tenanta
Liskl had closed the restaurant only half an
hour before. and had not gone TO bed when he
heard McGee's cries. lie aroused his wife,
and the two made their way into the front
room. which was occupied By a waiter known
80 Willie. Scarcely two minutes had elapsed
since McGee turned In the alarm but the
flames filled the first floor. and II was impos-
sibls to descend the stairway. LiskI. his wife.
and the waiter stood gazing hslplssslY out VI
the window.
There were no FIRE escapes on the front Of
the house A painter named William Sohnnee-
wsis occupied the rooms on the top floor and
a. a precaution he kept a rope TO be used In
case OF fire. He threw the rope out and started
to climb down. Tho Liski family went ahead
OF him. however. and he remained on the win
dow ell until they reached the ground. II was
supposed at the time that Willie also escaped
down the rope.
Next there appeared at the windows on the
third floor screaming at the top Of their
voices. widow named Elizabeth Hstherton
and her daughter. The former ls over 10 years
OF age She seemed insane with fear. The
crowd shouted to her to come down By means
OF the rope. She did not seem to com prehend
and her daughter had TO fairly push her out OF
the window. She slid down the rope all
when che let go and fell against an iron rail-
Ing nrs,st nn,t 4 leg she was rep59Esd to
account OF her extreme age. her recovery was
doubtful Her daughter reached the ground
Tup sb SG on ehs May
had U got 1n ou, f the Bsidas ala tSs
S%ssnss at ana e21 Tshhp sT.nu TO
to 27l West Fortieth street, dwelling. stable:
safely. Lexis house was damaged about
$500. The damage to the other houses
When the FIRE had been put out the nremen
searched the BUILDING II was supposed at
dcs ths 9P o rhc:: ss
Sssated I'm 70 pdias o the "SI BODY u eSas SSH
th + GS r.. and was empiOIsd By fisEi as
LisSi was confident that the waiter, Willie. |
escaped down the rope. lie could not discover
any trace Of him after the fire. however. and
Fire Chief Gtcuuel therefore ordered mem bers
OF 4 truck to search thu ruins again. After
working for three hours Firsmen Wisiand and
Newrocx discovered the body lying face down
ward under = pile OF rubbish back Of tho stair
way on the first floor. II is supposed that he
was overcome by smoke while trying to make
his way out instead Of waiting for a chance to
nse the rope by which the others escaped.
man had been In his en- ioy about 4 month.
Both bodice were taken to the Morgue.
, This Is the second time Liskfs place has
been burned. The first IRE occurred ten
months ago. He was insured.