Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-25
SEVEN SMOTHERED.
4 Baltimore Family Almost Dloltsa Oul
by a Fire.
AN EIGHTH PERSON WILL DIE
save. Others Also Injured, HIT MOI
Fatauy-Much Fruitiess br"'e
Fatal Efforts 90 save Liie--'
Fireman.

f.harles street Baltimore '"N
1A,,rs 4. ARMGER. aged 90 years
WILLIAM Il. RILEY. his son-'n-i""'
n1cuAsD RILEY. aged years.
..p,.N RILEY, aged IL years.
90 MARIAN CHAMPLIN, widowed
nausater Of Mr.. Armiser' aseu . s'''''
LANES CHAMPLIN, aged years.
s-npAcE MANUEL. capitalist, OF Tur-
-, MANUEL q Co. IS Wall street. Nav
York.
The injured were;
ALICE A. j. WILLIAMS, a colored SER
nj who fractured her skull, jumping
srom a third-story window, and VINO
will die.
Mrs LANES ARMIGER. aged 30. burn
al about shoulders and arms.
atARY G. WHITE. colored servant.
1Ircy TOIIVER, servant (coloredl'
ROSE JONES. servant tcolored).
sfiss VIRGINIA ARMIGER, aged %.
Mss ELEANOR ARMIGER, aged -
years. ,o.,.a,t
IOf1S WHITNEY. colored servant
The dwelling In which the victims TO-
their lives T. located in the most l"Si'S'
roy, Of cranite-front residences oeiohsihs
~ the 4. s. Abel estate on OhaileS
street lust north OF Lafayette aNehue'
II Is four stories In height, and az tle
limo az the fire was filled WIN cosus
furniture and much rare III -
plate. and unique Jeweiry, OF "hI.n -
Armiger was an enthusiastic VOA'S -,
Mr.. Manuel was guest VIC ies -,
visiting the Armiger family lor '"e 80 80
Two or three days IL was ms -" -.
20 have returned 10 his home III NV
York last night. but Mr.. Armiger preVai-
"A mon MIN 10 remain until Monday
l, was shortly after Z O'Clock Wheh
,bo servants arose as usual TO buld the
fires and prepare breakfast. Rose JONES
and Lucy Tolivcr, two OF the coIortu
women. were getting breakfast IN tne
kitchen, while the man-serNahl' AOuis
whitney. built the fire in the furnace. IN
so,,o way not YET ascertained the flames
we're communicated 10 wooden partl-
zion n few feet from the fnrnace'
which began 10 burn like tindtr. On
either side Of the partition was starr
rase. and within "A few feet 10 the lett
md directly in the middle OF the build
Ing was an air-shaft. The WIND was
howlng a gale, and as the windows IN
The cellar were open, the names soon
mere shooting upward and IN an IN
rrelbiy short time filled the interior. SO
rapidly did the fire spread that almost
Immediately after the cook saw the
flames popping through the kitchen they
had spread 10 the ceiling. Louis WHIT
uey. the colored man-of-all- work. was
cleaning the front steps. He ran to the
adjacent corner and gave the alarm TO
n policeman and hurried back 10 the
house. entered the front door, closed 1t
behind him and assembled TO the second
floor where Mr.. and Mrs. Armiger had
their bedroom.
The house was by this time filed with
dense. sitting smoke, and when the
man and Mrs. Armlger attempted 10
descend they found II impossible. Whit
ing aided Mrs. Armiger TO the front
window and helped her to reach small
balcony In front. upon which he placed
her and returned TO the aid OF Mr.. Ar
niger. He found the latter had gone,
and came back TO Mrs. Armiger. who,
clad I'm nothing but her night clothes, was
Ehveriug on the narrow balcony and
shriekng In agonlZod tones for help.
Half a dozen men who were passing
FASTENED TO the power-house of the
Charies-street cable-car line. a block
below and procured a short ladder.
When they returned they found Deputy
GTe-Chief McAfee. noted life-saVer,
who quickly mounted the ladder. 1t was
not long enough. but by standing On the
uppermost round he could reach the
Heightened woman.
A BRAVE FIREMAN.
AS he attempted TO lift her from the
balcony her scanty clothing caught on an
obstruction. and she fell forward with
her whole weight upon the outstretched
arm OF the fireman. Just then the ladder
clipped and every one below expected &c
zee both the rescuer and the woman he
~ to a 10
the pavement below. by a tremendous
enort. however McAfee steadied him.
feld and. holding Mrs. Armiger with
one hand. grasped the balcony with the
other. Hanging thue. he slowly replaced
The ladder with his feet. and brought the
now faintlng woman down IN safety.
In the mean time the other inmates
Of the front rooms were crowding &c
The windows, making the most pIteous ap-
leals for help. The people below shouted
10 them not 10 jump, but Alice WI.
Hams d.sregarding their warnings, and
with an appalling shriek. sprang from
the fourih-story tindow. struck the
Stone steps full upon her forehead. frac.
turing her skull and sustaining other
Injuries from which she Will die. An
htempt was made TO succor the other
nnfortunates by means OF the doorway
On Charles street. but when the police.
men burst it In they were met by such
volume OF smoke and flame that they
were driven back.
in the rear room. on the second floor
were Eleanor and Virginia, the unmar.
fed daughters Of Mr.. Armger They
were partially dressed. but so rapid was
The spread Of the flames that they had
no time 70. escape by the stairway. In
their extremity they leaned far out OF
the rear window and cried for help.
he'ehbor came to their aid and. under
bis oool-headed directions Miss Virginia
lowered her younger sister with a sheet
and. throwing a mattress out of the
window, leaped 20 the yard below. She
tl-hied In safety, and. beyond the shock
ana slight injury 10 her ankle escaped
nnhurt
FRUITL.ESS BRAVERY.
by this time the firemen had reached
the scene. and In "A twinkling had reared
cong ladders up 10 the windows both
Hont and rear. Up these they swarmed,
sna in few minutes the remaining
inmates Of the doomed house were be-
ing carried out On the stairway Lead
Hs from the second 10 the third floor
was found the body OF Mr.. Armiger with
nav OF his little grandchIld, Richard
ishey. clasped tightly In his arms, show
hs that the old man had made a gal
iSht attempt 10 rescue the boy al the
cost OF his OWN life. In the front room
Dn me ihiFd hoor was found the corpse
VI nT. Manuel He. too. had the body OF
enla an bis arms. sslllng another story
Of unrequltod heroism.
Ia the rear room on the third floor.
iyihs on The bed. the firemsn found the
aead body OF Mr. Riley. By his side
lay bis wife, breathing family. She was
hurried INTO the open air In time IA save
hfr lie. ana. though badly hnrrea -,