The record-union., 1896-02-24


and landed thereupon uninjured, with
the exception of slight shock.
The only other person OF the sixteen
who were in the Inflated house to be
rescued was the daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Armiger, Mrs Leila Riley. She
was carried down by the ladder by the
firemen, having been overcome by the
smoke.
When the fire had been gotten under
control and the firemen made a search
of the ruined residence, Mr.. Armiger
was found in the hallway. When Whit
ing dashed upstairs with the alarm Of
fire. Mr.. Armiger left his wife in the
care of the colored man, and went up
stairs to awaken the other inmates of
the house. He had been overcome by
the smoke and flames, and breathed his
last as he was carried into the open air.
William B. Riley, a son-in-law of Mr..
and Mrs. Armiger, was found dead near
by He, with his wife and two children,
had been seen at the third-story win
dow, and Mrs. Riley had been taken
out by the firemen. But before the res
cuers could return to the window Mr..
Riley, with his two children clasped in
his arms, succumbed to the smoke and
flames.
On the floor above were found the
bodies of Mrs. Marian Chamblin, wild
owed daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Armi-
ger, and her three-year-old child,
James. The last person to be found in
the wrecked building was Harold Man
uel, aged 80 a guest who arrived from
New York last Thursday. He was
member of the broker firm of Turner &
Manuel, 80 Wall str ct, New YorA-
Mr.. Armiger was an importer of dia-
monds and fine jewelry, and did big
business in this city and throughout the
Southern States. Fer thirty years he
had been one of the best known mer-
chants of the city.
The scene in the parlors of DR.. K. B.
Bachelors residence, where the
charred and bruised bodies were car
ried, was narrowing. Mr.. Armiger was
burned to char around the upper part
OF his body. The white hair around his
venerable head was matted and clotted
with blood and cinders. His face and
forehead were so badly burned that the
ends of his hair were clotted in the
flesh. His face, although terribly black
ened, was easily recognizable, and old
friends turned away sick at heart.
Mr.. Riley died from burns and suf-
location. He was rather stout and
muscular. The burns were chiefly
about his face, neck and shoulders.
His face was terribly distorted, and
wore an expression of awful agony.
Mr. Manuel was also terribly burned,
and his horribly SCARED face was dis
torted, as though he had died only after
making supreme effort for life. Gleam-
ing in startling contrast with the black
ened and burned fingers Of Mr.. Manu-
els left hand, shone a handsome dia-
mcnd ring.
The body of James Chamblin was a
blackened cinder. His throat and nos
trils were burned inside.
The two Riley children We're killed by
the suffocating smoke. They were not
as badly burned as the others, but
their faces were blackened from the
bursting of blood vessels and the red
fluid made crimson stains on their
bIackened night gowns.
The house was completely Quilted. In
the dining-room and pantry of the FAM
iIy sit a blackened and mishapen mass
of metal. The loss is estimated at $50
600
The news of the catastrophe spread
throughout the city by means of the
pulpit and press, and all day and until
late into the night great crowds loi-
tered about the fire-swept ruins and
the house wherein the poor victims lay
Coroner Alexander Hill impaneled a
jury of inquest. which viewed the re-
mains Of the deceased. and tonight
rendered a verdict that the fire was
caused by badly constructed hot-air
pipe; eulogized the fire department for
prompt service, and gave especial credit
to District Chief McAfee, who heroic
ally saved the life of Mrs. Armiger.
OF those who escaped to-day Alice
Williams will die from fractured
skull The others will probably sur
vive their injuries