New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-18
FATAL FIRE IN EAST ORANGE.
ONE WOMAN SUFFOCATED BY THE
SMOKE
THE PROPRIETOR OF THE BoARDING-HOUsE IN
WHICH 1T OCCURRED ALSO BADLY BURNED
CAUSED BY CLEANING A DRESS
WITH NAPHTNA.

WITH NAPHTIA.
oranee March Il (SpeciaD.-A fire broke ont to-
40, IN the boarding house Of Miss Marion l.. Smith,
y, xo II Walnut-st. East Orange which resulted in
o,e woman being suffocated to death and another
ro being terribly burned The house belongs to
.be Rev Horace s. Bishop the rector emeritus Of
C,.,st church. and was formerly the rectory OF that
church
About 80 o'clock In the morning Miss Smith went
into n small the lower floor OF the house
ard began cleaning dress with naphtha lust how
.he vapor g,iited is not known, Miss Smith being in
tho critical condition to give any Information. The
erst that vas known by the other occupants Of the
house was the sound of n mufied report, of an eX-
nosion and the issuance OF Miss Smith from the
roon, with her clothing in blaze Her cries were
seard by her sister. Miss Mamie Smith. who ran to
nav assistance. She succeeded in snothering the
flames and then hurried her sister TO tho house OF
William H. Marvin. who lives next door. In the
mean time the flames had communicated 20 tho
woodwork Of the room and thence spread rapidly.
The alarm was sen; out and the Fire Department
responded
Owing 10 the condition OF the streets valuable time
was lost IN reaching the house. and when the ire-
men so: fairly 10 work the entire lower story was
ahlaze The house being old. 1t burned like finder
I, was supposed that all the occupants of the
house had escaped. but after the fremen had been
at work for half hour William Purdue AMI John
rlynn put ladder up TO a window In the second
Story from which smoke was issuing and no sooner
lad they got into The room than they saw the body
OF a woman lying on the floor near the door ii
nroved 10 be the BODY Of Miss Harriet c. Winans
VINO occupied the room. She was dressed. nut had u
shoe on one foot only. the other beng cad III u
slipper The jnanimate form was carried down The
ladder and into the OF Mr.. Marvin. where two
musicians worked over it FOR long time In the en-
deavor To resUsCitate the unfortunate woman, but
they finally had abandon the effort.
Miss Winans. it is supposed was going out or the
housc when she remembered some important papers
and wen: back for them While in the house she
boca m. unconscious from the smoke. She had been
engaged in lawsuit for some years with her
sister over property lcf. by their rather ana
She had the legal documents in her room
Miss Ninans was about ifty-two years ola. ana
was the daughter of David r. Winans an extensive
property holder and real estate speculator who died
several years ago Tho room in which her body was
found was not injured all by the hamcs II being
one Of the only two IN the house which escaped.
County Physician Washington was Informed of the
death OF Miss Wnnns and granted the usual certlt-
cato after which the body was taken 10 the house
III Postmaster Benjamin Hilton. at No. %s William
ST. East Orange. from which the funeral Will be
held. ,,, ,, H., a 80,
I'D arms were scorched that the skin peeled on.
ITer throat was scorched and half of her hair was
burned off. , 90 ooo o, ~
furniture and other articles about Wow 1t Is
covered by insurance