The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-16
FELL TO H GROUND
BALTIMORE MAN AND WIFE KILLED
WHILE FLEEING FROM FIRE.
Heroic Effort of Lieutenant Morgan
to Save the Couple-UnabIe TO Hold
Both with One Arm.

BALTIMORE, Jan. B.-At 4 o'clock this
morning fire broke out on the ground floor
of No. Is West Biddle street and before it
was discovered it had made such Roadway
that escape for the sleeping inmates was
rendered a hazardous undertaking.. When
the fremen and ~neighbors reached the scene
Thomas Whitridge. a broker, and his young
wife appeared at the window OF the second
story front room. Mrs. Whitridge was un-
conscious. Her husband holding her in his
arms. leaned far out of the second-story
window and made a frantic grab and spring
for the ladder which the firemen had run
up. he missed the ladder and both were
dashed into eternity. Mrs. Whitridge was
instantly killed and her husband died a few
minutes later. The other occupants escaped
uninjured.
Later developments show that Mr.. and
Mrs. Whitridge were awakened to find the
house filled with smoke and escape by or
binary means apparently cut on. They
tons of the fremen, and the result was
the death of both. They appeared at the
front windows and opened them. The
smoke had already filled the room. No. 4
hook and ladder company arrived and a
ladder was thrown up to the second floor
Morgan, one of the strongest men in the
department, to go up and take Mr.. and
Mrs; WNhitridge down; The Lieutenant "a
ladder, attempting to descend. The Lieu
tenant got him down a couple rungs of
the ladder. Mr.. Whitridge jerked away
back up the ladder to where his wife was
setting her foot on the top rung. Notwith-
standing the remonstrances of the fireman
Mr.. Whitridge raised up and c!asped his
wife in his arms. He started down. but
him as he fell with his wife in his arms.
The weight of the two swung the fireman
over the edge Of the ladder, and for a mo mo
For a minute Lieutenant Morgan held the
couple in midair with his left arm, while
with his right he hung to the ladder. Lieut..
ing, and was compelled to. let go. The
couple fell, striking the railing and steps
AS they fell Andrew J. Smith a fireman,
ran up and braced his shoulders to break
breaking the eagle on his helmet. After she
struck the pavement she raised up convul-
s Mr w 9nfe; but a sank stack rack a the w paye deaai
on the head, and died within twenty min
utes.
Mr.. whitridge was consul to Chill and
vice consul of Denmark in this city, a
member of the Baltimore Club, and re-
Gently an officer of the Fifth Maryland
Regiment.
A iIwauke Theater Gutted.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 15.-Fire broke out in
the interior of the stage of the Stadt The
alter at II 80 this morning while prepara-
tions We're being made for the charity ball
and spread so rapidly that all the decora-
tons were destroyed and the theater Quilted.
The Deuster Club rooms in the same build
ing were destroyed. The total loss is esti-
mated at $500. partially insured. There
are several offices and stores in the build
ing, and they will be considerably dam
aged by water and smoke. The charity bah
will necessarily be postponed. 1t was to
be the swell society event of the season.
Other Fires.
ST. GATHERINGS, Ont, Jan. 15.-The
Masonic Temple was destroyed by fire yes
terday. The ground floor of the building
was occupied as a business college, the
public library occupying the second floor
and lodges the third floor. The MasonS lost
their Jewels, regalia, furniture and
books. The public library lost all its books
The business colleges loss was total. This
Masonic Temple was one of the finest build
ings of its kind in the dominion. Loss,
about $685. COO.
BALTIMORE. Jan. 15.-The grand stand
of the Baltimore baseball ground on Hunt
ington avenue was burned last night. The
fire is supposed to have been caused by