The sun., 1896-02-10
n WO CHILDREN KILLED.
WITH OTHERS THEY TERE VIEW
TyG THE RUINS OF Il FIFE.

Children Cnurht-Nire-yenr-oid M'nn'o
specht and Harry Hotsen crnshea ="
Death and Edward IIiii Badly inJ"rea.
A two.and.a. .half.story frame cottage In Fort
Hamilton avenue, between Eighty-fourth ana
Eighty fifth streets, Brooklyn. belonging 10
Michael ODonnell, was burned to the ground
carly yesterday morning. Nothing was LETT
standing but two ch,mneys, one n small one
and the other forty-fve feet high, fvo feet Two
inches at the base and three feet at the top.
Streams were played on the ruins until the
embers were dead, and then Foreman Ruddy
ordered the chmneys pulled down. One chim-
nov, the smaller one WAS toppled over. but, ac-
cording to the story Of tho Fort Hamilton poiice'
the larger chimney resisted the hremen's at
tacks and II was left standing. tho supposition
being that It was secure.
Nine-year.old Minnie Specht lived with her
mother, three sisters and two brothers over
saloon which the mother keeps In the Kings
Highway not fur from Fort Hamilton avenue.
The saloon was about the only thing John
Specht had to loave his family when he died
last October. Minnie heard her mother ana
brothers and sisters talking about the fre, ana
sho begged her mother to allow her to go over to
see what was loft Of the O'Donnell house. Her
mother discouraged her. but finally. nfter the
family had eaton dinner, Mrs. Specht told her
she might go to the ruins with her twelvc-yenr-
old brother Johnnie. and come right back.
II don't care anything about seeing tho old
lre." said Johnnie. but I'll take you up there,
Minnie. But you've got to come back when |
toll you"
1t took Minnie only a moment to get ready.
and the two children, hand In hand. started OF.
When they reached the burned building they
met playmate, Harry Botzea, the q
year-old Ron Of Herman Botzen, fur
nisher of yachts supplies. who lives in
LS,rt on1
street. Standing near Harry was Edward
Hill. 1s years old tho second son Of William j.
Hill. a plumber. living In Eighty eighth street.
near Third avenue. This group of young people
stood for a time in q row on the west side OF tho
house. The tall chimney lowered above them.
and strong wind was blowing In from the
east. Suddenly Johnnie cried out:
Look out, Minnie. the chimeny's felling"
Tho girl. without looking up. started to run.
The warning came too late. Shehad taken only
fell down upon her. The child was borne down
by tho weight. and when those standing near
was q corner OF her cloaK Harry Botzen and
Edward Hill were nowhere In sight.
The crowd was dumb for moment. Then
They're Killed! Oh. they're lilledm
figure of a boy was seen runninr across the
fields toward the police station. IA fast us his
legs could him. 1t 0% Johnny spech.
dashed, and.with what breath he had, he cried:
The chimney fell on my sister and Harry
Then the lad ran back. He was the only one
in ths crowd d who seemed to have any presence
ing to and from the station house the crowd
simply stood and stared at the mass of masonry.
began clearing Y away the bricks and N mortar. tr.
working with all the strength he possessed and
o the ss anG they SSs to
wor Soon faint moaning could be heard.
and all haste possible was made In twenty
lay face downward. Harry I,otgen and Minnie
SneGht lay close tSgeshsr Harry lay quite still
lay Edward Hill. groaning and writing with
pain.
to - carry the dead and injured children ta to the
station. An examination showed that Harry
was liz
The. The only visible ISL e.; mark upon his person was
@ to ft TT Minnie her s1'
fighting bravely to keep back the tears. took off
There isn't anything else 70 carry her in" he
This they did. Two policemen bore the body
Roteen, and others Ihad Edward Hin for their
station an ambulance was there.
While the ambulance surgeon was making
last. II was found that Hill had sustained a
compound fracture Of the right leg and a deep
scalp WOunu on the rlEnG sluc OF tnc neau. Inc
surgeon shook his head doubtfully when asked
II he thought tho boy would recover.
1t was not far from 9 o'clock in the afternoon
when the chimney fell. About $3.50 Coroner
Coombs viewed the two bodies and gave a per-
NIT for their removal. Last night the doctor
in attendance was unable to say whether Hill
would recover or not. Nearly every bone In the
Many people In Fort Hamilton blame tho Fire
Department for the accident. They say that
when It was found to be impossible to pull
down the chimney man should have been
stationed in front Of the premises to warn pco-