The San Francisco call., 1896-04-02
Escape Cut Off After He Had
Thrown His Valuables From
a Window.
FIREMEN ARRIVE TOO LATE.
The First Alarm Regarded as a First.
of.April Joke-Rumors of Foul
Play Discredited.

CARSON, New, April 1.-The people of
Carson were horrited this morning TO
learn that during the night John P.
Sweeney's house had been destroyed by
fire and that the occupant had been
roasted to death. About 10 O'Clock last
night fire was noticed in the direction of
Sweehey's ranch, but little attention was
paid to it. as it was supposed TO be sage
brush burning. 1t was nearly midnight
before the fire bells sounded an alarm. and
even that excited but little interest, as It
was regarded by many as an "Aprilfool"
joke. The persons who first sounded the
alarm were told that they had been duped
and tapped the signal to return. Shortly
afterward word was received that Swee-
ney's residence was burning, and the fire
companies hurried to the ranch, two miles
from town. and found the house nearly de-
stroyed.
The fremen knew that Sweeney had
been taken home early in the evening and
must be in the burning building, but the
flames had made such progress that it
was too late to rescue the unfortunate
man. Soon after the engine arrived the
wall OF the southeast corner of the house
burned away and exposed the room in
smoke. was blown back by the breeze his
body, wrapped in the. flames, could be
plainly seen. The heat was so intense
that an approach nearer than fifty feet
was impossible, and the firemen were OBJ
liged to stand IDLY by as the body was
slowly consumed, and finally, as the floor
gave way beneath. they saw the charred
corpse roll into the cellar.
ffo n fbar
recovered. Nothing was left but the trunk.
The rest of the body was burned to crisp
and the bones fell apart as they were
moved. The charred remains were brought
10 town and an INQUEST was held, verdic
OF accidental death being rendered.
Sweeney had a racetrack on his prop
erty and long line of training stables for
fast horses. As the house could not be-
saved, the firemen turned their attention
to the stables. Alphus, the famous rot
ting stallion, was liberated, but he be-
came so crazed that it required hard work
to keep him from running into the fire.
Hundreds of chickens, which were liber-
ated from their houses, few into the flames
and were burned.
Sweeney was drinking heavily yesterday
and about o'clock some of his friends
supposed that later in the evening he
lighted a lamp and this being overturned
started the fire. The evidence at the in
quest proved that he was able TO get about
the house when the fire broke out, and
that he attempted to save his valuables
He had thrown some of his wife's jewelry
out of a window and Paris mutual pool
box was clutched in his arms. He went
~ bod in of A.
house, but died in the southeast room.
Sweeney's wife was in San Francisco,
and telegram containing the awful news
was sent to her at once.
John p Sweeney was native of Ireland,
and came to this State from Detroit, Mich.
He has lived in Carson nearly twenty
years. He was public-spirited man. ard
his purse was always ready in any enter
prise that helped the town. He erected
the Ozark saloon building and also the
brick building occupied by Cagwin 6
| Noteware. He brought the horse Gibral-
| tar to this State. to improve the breed of
| trotting horses at time when Gibraltar
| held the worlds trotting record-2:2 :22%.
He then purchased the place known as
the Swift ranch-the scene of the fire-and
began breeding fast horses and thorough
bred Holstein cattle. Senator Leland
| Stanford offered Sweeney $1,000 for Gibral-
| tar, which was refused. He raised some
| fine horses, but met with bad luck on the
| turf, and the slump in the horse market
was very disastrous. He was once worth
S25, 600 or 10000 but he met with many
reverses, and finally began drinking
4 heavily.
Rumors were ahoat this evening to the
| effect that he had been followed home.
killed, robbed and his dwelling fired This
idea is credited by no one who knew any,
thing regarding the circumstances sur
rounding the case. The CoroEer's jury,
/ however. did not finish its labors and will
further investigate tomorrow.