New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-24

| lily AND HORACE MANUEL OF NEW-fofth
A GUEST KILLED OUTRIGHT AND
SERVANT FATALLY INJURED-A
| DEFECTIVE PUMP THE CAUSE
OF THE CALAMITY
baltimore. Feb 23-A fire in the fashionable
district Of North Baltimore this morning was
the cause OF seven deaths The list Is as follows:
ARMIGER James r.. aged ffty-nve.
RILEY William c.. his n-law. aged thrty-e'ght
RILEY Richard. child. aged four
RILEY Marian. child. aged two and a half
| CHAMBI1N. James aged three.
CIiAMBI.iN. Mrs Marian. aged thirty
MANUEL. Horace. aged hry.
Few Of the residents Of North Charles-st be-
tween Lafayette and North aves., were awake
when fire engines came dashing up the thorough
fare. shortly after o'clock The call had peeh
sent In from North-ave. and Charles-st, when
flames were seen breaking from the basement OF
No. l. SO6 North Chares-st.. the home OF James H.
Armger one Of the best-known men In the city
A large crowd was before the burning build
Ing almost In a moment. and looking up at the
windows the hundreds who congregated below
saw the occupants II the house. aroused from
their slumbcrs. appear one after the other at
the windows IN their night robes
Lou whiting, coorod servant VINO was
EMPLOYED next door to the Armger home hrst
saw the flames. and gaining an entrance over
the rear fence rushed through the building
arousinp the inmates Quick az was his action
the flames were more rapid and egress by the
staircases was shut off before half OF the six
teen occupants OF the dwelling had left their
rooms With all possibility Of escape by the
stairs cut off owing TO the flames and smoke
which then filed the passageways. Mr.. Armger
| ~ Of bie family rushed q the
windows Of their apartments. seeking relief in
front from what appeared certain death behind
them.
PENNED IN THE BURNING BUILDING.
The servants on the fourth floor rushed down.
stairs. hut could get no lower than the second
story. where they were driven into the sleeping
rooms Of the other inmates Of the house. With
closed doors behind them to keep out the flames
and smoke. the servants. too. rushed 70 the win
dows. CRYING for help. Two maid-servants who
were In the kitchen at the time the fire broke
out escaped by the rear door. There then
penned 10 in the building fourteen persons.
IA soon as the fire department arrived. nets
were stretched beneath the windows. and the lTe-
men called 10 the terror-s,rcken persons at the
windows to Jump. The crowd in the street. not
realizing the extent Of the fire and smoke within
the house shouted, Don't jump" The bewil-
dared inmates held back and some OF them dis
! appeared from the windows Apparently. they
went back FOR clothing. or. perhaps. for scme
| treasured possession II WAS Il fatal move ana
! In most instances cost lifc.
Policemen Carlos and Grove. in an attempt 10
resclc those whose lives were I'm danger, broke
| I'm the front door. It was mistake. for 1t only
gave the fire. which had begun IT. the basement,
the draught II needed. and It roared through the
Railways and up the stairs with greater fierce
nos. The policemen could MT reach the I'M
r.rlllcd poopie for the stairs werr then mass
u flames and the smoke was binding.
4 REMARKABLE RESCUE.
Tho nrcmcn hal by this time thrown up
! ladders ln front of the house and District Chief
/ McAfec climbed up to tho s"cond story WINDOW.
where Mrs. Armlger was crying for help The
/ ladder did not quite reach the window. ana
/ there WAS the widest excitement below "a Nc
| Afe. stood on the upper rung and grasped the
/ window sill for support. He encouraged Mrs.
Arnlper to swing herself out Of the window.
AZ the chief grasped her with one arm he
stoadied himself with the other. and had taken
one step down the ladder when IT slipped, ana
/ NcAfee with the woman In one arm and with
/ the other holding TO the window frame danBled
| I'm the air cry Of horror went up from the
| crowd as II saw the peril Of the daring fireman
and his human burden. But McAfee caught the
top rung OF the ladder on his toe, ana pulling IL
! back into place released his hold upon the WIN
/ dow and quickly descended with the woman u
| the sidewalk A great cheer went up as res
cued and rescucr reached terra iirma
DEATH OF HORACE MANUEL
| Meantime the smoke poured from the open
| windows and the crowd around the building had
| increased To hundreds. At one OF the third-sto'S
windows appeared the face OF man wearing
! look Of agony He raised the window ahd reac"-
| ing out his hands shouted to the muti'uue oe
,ow 7, con, him back an encouraging shout.
and he n moment later, before ladder cou'o o'
,ur -, d,sanneared When the hremen reached
the window the body Of the man was fouha lyi'B
,oo.o,b {, surrocated and badly burned. He
was Horace Manuel New-iorK STOCK proN'.
and banker. In his arms was little Richard
Riley n grandson OF Mr.. Armiger also dead.
auco Williams one of the coored servants,
sudd.nlv appeared at one of the fourth-story
wi,dou,s shriekng She tore up the window
with a crash and leaned far out over the pave
nen, Don't Jump don't jump! shouted a
! hundred voices She stepped back. wrinsinB her
hands Then she leaned out again and appeared
TO be trying to call something to those peiow.
! Again the cry went up Don't jump!
Too late the terrified woman drew haii phcR
in tho window, and With an awfuI shrlek
| launched herself out into the air Down she
shot her body turning over several times ana
struck the marble steps. The crowd stood trans
fixed with horror az. tie womans body rebound
| ID and rolled to the pavement. For moment
no one moved Then man rushed forward.
| followed by a score The woman was moaning
pitifully her hands clnching and unclinching In
agony. She was tenderly carried to DR.. Batch
elor's office opposite. and subsequently was re-
moved to the city Hospital where she Is linger-
ing between life and death.
| Another colored servant. Mary White was res
! oucd from a window by the hreIren In SEMI
conscious condition.