The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-23
FOUR CHILDREN BURNED.
THE REV. ROSS TAYEoB's HOUSE Ar
SOUTH MACK DBSTRoYED.

BOYS Escaped frOn. Ntndows-Hts Otber
Four Chndrer Were I.o-t-Two Little
tsiris D,s Not Av.ke-Others Isiured.
Four children were burned TO death in their
home in South Nyack yesterday morning while
their parents and two brothers, with little Sis
ter too small 10 realize the horror OF the sltua-
ton, standing In their night clothing on the de-
clivity Of south Mountain, watched the flames
a. they destroyed the new house and the young
lives.
GOOD by, papar' cried one Of the doomed
ones as the fire closed around him, and the
stricken father and overweight mother h,sl to
turn away helpless.
The burned children, two boys and two girls,
were the sons and daughters Of the Rev. Ross
Taylor and his wife Ada.
II was shortly before dawn that the house.
hold was aroused with the building in flames.
The fire quickly consumed the interior of what
was supposed to be n flreproof house.
Mr.. Taylor Is the eldest OF the Rev. Will
liam Taylor Methodist Episcopal Bishop Of Az
RIGA. Besides his wife, his household on sunday
consisted Of their children. Stewart, aged is.
William. aged 12; Arthur Fry. aged IL; Har-
riet Anne, aged o; Ada, aged Z: shultis, aged 5.
and Dorothy. aged .; S. A. Kean. a banker Of
Chicago; Ella Holley, the cook Mamie Dwyer.
the maid; Michael Mullady, a stableman, and
two painters, William Ruth OF 304 East Seven
ty-fourth street, and Edward Nalenta OF 1le
East Ninetieth street. this city.
The house was not completed, but the FAM
ily. who had been living in tents on the
premises during the summer, had moved into 1t
two weeks ago last Wednesday. II stood half
way up the side Of South Mountain. a few
hundred feet from Hillside avenue. and Its
erection was supervised by Mr.. Taylor himself.
1t was built Of trap rock dug from the ridge on
,,,hi ,h trim vvith
stone taken from the same ridge further south.
The walls on the inside were finished with ma
terial made from several thicknesses of straw
board fastened together by some resinous sub
stance instead OF plaster. This was said to be
Hreproof.
Only the outer walls Of the house are now
standing.
The house was built into the hillside and was
three stories In height ut the front but at the
rear was only two stories. The dining room was
on the ground floor. and through this was the
main entrance, which led to a hall which ex-
tended To the centre of the floor. where stairs
led from story to story to the top Of the house
Through this well the flames spread with =
ment wa, the parlor iloor where Mr.. and Mrs.
Taylor slept. ON the next floor were all the rest
Of the household. except Mullsdy, who slept In
the garnet. The completion Of the interior was
under way, and upon this the two painters were
All but these three had retired at the usual
time on sunday evening after prayers in which
every one of the children joined. When the
and found the doors locked they entered the
house through rear window of the parlor
Of matches. Mr. Taylor heard them and fearing
that lighted match carelessiy dropped might
about the house. Findins nothing sU wrong ' he
went hack to bed and to sleep. His son Stewart
ss na ss sss as Gs sss e
In the basement. II was here that Mr.. Kean,
four hours later, saw the flames leaping almost
Mr.. Kean was aroused by the barking Of q
Newfoundland dog, Major, who persisted In the
and. finding the hall afire. shouted repeated
at the top of his voice. Hearing answering
his door. dressed, secured his clothing. and,
throwing out his satchel, jumped TO the ground
Mrs. Taylor had heard Mr.. Kean's shouts and
aroused her husband, who shouted to the boys,
and. receiving an answering call from Stewart
carried his wife out through a rear window OF
the parlor floor to an adjacent terrace OF the
hillside. He then ran back into the house and
and William and the maid, Mamie, with whom
were Arthur and Shultis and the baby. Dorothy
sezins I her he turned 10 the stairs Exit there
seemed cut of, and he ran 70 rear window
HANDEL S
and SSs dSS ss the
stewart and &c turned for another way out. Re-
thinking himself OF the painters he ran TO their
Shuts to follow him $50 ''' NN
would not leave him, could not save him, and
sacrificed his life for him.
stewart eva eSuid not ws the names got nearer
hsir and the back q his neck had already Oesn
The two painters followed him, and escaped
any injuries beyond serious bruises although |
when found they were insensible and helpless.
As Mt. Fay Taylor and Wms went down the
shultis but the place where they had been was |
afame Mr.. Taylor started back, but his wife |
held him back. pointing out that TO return was
Even as she spoke the plank burnt on and
Meanwhile the maid had jumped. Before this
the cook, after trying To put GU. the fire and |
getting scalded, had made her escape safely |
OF the two little girls, Harriet and Ada, no
one had Thought, and II seems that they must
Michael Mullady was seen on the rear roof.
" Jump" cried the people below.
oh, | can't I cant " he said. But finally he
to the harm and led out the horses, after which
he collapsed, and II was feared Yesterday that
he injured painters were brought To this city
later in the morning and taken 10 "a hospital.
hs iron fSdn the Of si the house t2ss Sw Shuts at
window, hut beyond help. IL was then he babe
SOOd-by 10 his father and disappeared The
procession went on down the hill
,ide barefooted and In their nightclOthes, over
he rough ground.
All this time not a person had come TO their
lelp. but as they went down the hill they met
Robertson Potter, a son OF their nearest neigh
Dor who had been aroused by the cracking OF
he flames, But even the four hre companies
lAnd in reply 10 the loud wailing OF the siren
whistle fire alarm, could do no good except 10
'escue the remains OF the dead children.
The remains were found before 10 O'Clock |
The funeral was held ~ IL o'clock In ST. Pauls
" K. Church. The pastor, the Rev. j. H. Tay- |
or officiated. He is not related TO the afflicted
family.
The Rev Ross Taylor In q firm voice sang
Rock OF Ages" The bodies were placed In
vault.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor and their surviving chill
irst, and went last night to the home OF Judge
!. Il. Morrow. They Will come 10 New York to-
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