The herald., 1896-06-12
Infants Incinerated in a Burning
Barn
AID COULD NOT REACH THEM
Two Little Girls Perish iu Fatal Flames
on Date Street
Played With Matches and the Terrible Re-
suIt-Three Buildings Consumed Before
the Fire Was Extinguished

Two little children were burned to
death yesterday afternoon in fire that
broke out in barn In the rear of 9l2
flames were quenched they had con-
sumed three buildings and caused a
monetary loss OF nearly $1,000, besides
the precious human lives
The two-story house at the above
number Is owned by George Shepard,
of G. J. Blckford. Mr.. Bickford was
out Of town yesterday, but his wife was
at home with her three little. ones,
Frankie, s years Of age; Hazel, years
and Viona. aged nearly g. Mrs. Bick-
ford was In the house sewing, In COM
pany with several lady friends. and the
children We're playing out In the barn.
into the house crying out: Mama,
mama. Hazel is all afire." The fright
ened woman rushed out to discover the
barn a sheet Of flames and to realize
with agony that the two baby girls were
In it. In desperation the mother at
tempted to rush into the burning build
ing to save her children. but was driven
back by the flames, being severely
burned about the face and hands. There
she was compelled to stand powerless
while the agonized screams of the tor
tured babes rang in her ears until death
relieved them.
frankie said that he and his sister
Hazel, were scratching matches in the
loft. while little Viona had clambered
into buggy on the ground floor of the
barn and was playing there Hazel lit
a match and blew 1t out. dropping it in
the hay. A moment later he saw her
dress on fire and tried to put 1t out
This he could not do, and ran screaming
to the house for help.
The flames spread with such rapid
ity that by the time the women got
out the rear door of the house, escape
was impossible. A fire alarm was
turned in from box 25 by Police Sergeant
Morton, who happened to be near, and
later on from the Philadelphia brewery
on Also street. The department re-
sponded promptly, but the flames were
not subdued until the Shepard barn, one
on the next lot belonging to the commits
sion firm Of Rodriguez, Moroney & How
ard, and another on the rear of Mr..
Henry Putman's place at No. 922, were
totally destroyed.
The loss on the Shepard barn where
the fire started will be about 5000. and
on the buggy which was consumed, $75.
The horse In the stable broke loose and
got out, but was badly singed. ROdri-
guez. Moroney & Howard lose about
$3.50 on their barn and $50 worth of hay
stored in It, Mr. Putman's barn or shed
was q small structure on the rear of his
lot and can probably be replaced for
500. His live stock was removed with
difficulty
After the fire was gotten under con-
troll immediate attention was turned to
getting the little bodies out of the ruins,
The scene here was awful. About the
charred and unrecognizable remains the
flames still darted and the sickening
odor of roasting flesh filled the air. The
fire was extinguished and the bodies
gathered up in Chief Moore's coat and
carried out Of the embers. Then they
were put into washtub and placed in
the tankhouse until the arrival of the
coroner
The remains could hardly be recog-
nized as those of human beings, so bad
ly were they charred. The poor mother
moaned piteously over the remains of
her darlings and could not be comfort
ed. She was hysterical. but between
her sobs said she did not know how the
babies procured the matches. They had
been in the house but little while be-
fore and she had no intimation that
they were up to mischief.
Coroner Campbell caused the bodies
to be removed to the undertaking rooms
of Kregelo G. Bresee, on Broadway,
where an inquest will be held this morn
ing at 10 o'clock.