Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-02-29
Seven Deaths In a Fire.
Fatal Fire i'm the North Charles
Street Dwelling of James X.
Armiger i'm Baltimore.

BALTIMORE, Feb. pa fire that
was discovered at SIS o'clock this
morning in the basement Of the resi-.
dence Of Mr.. James X. Armiger, the
sole member of the iewelry firm of
.Jus;is Il Armiger, caused ie loss of
seven lives. One person is likely to
die from the injuries. The dead are :
Horace Manuel, aged 80; J. II Armiger,
aged 55; William b Riley, Mr.. Ar
mer's son-in law, aged 30; Richard
Riley, aged 1; Marion Riley, aged , !;
Mrs. Marion Champlain, aged % !;
James Champlain, aged ;.
Those who escaped were Misses Nir
ginia and Ellenora Armiger and the
colored man servant. Louis Whitney,
who started the fire in the furnace
which was the cause OF the accident
Mr.. Armiger's home was an imposing
four story white stone front house 1t
was ON North Charles street, the
fashionable thoroughiare, and was sit
uated between Lafayette and North
avenues.
When the fire started only the SER
wants were astir Whitney, the colered
man, started the fire in the furnace,
while the colored girls, Lucy and Rose,
were making preparation for breakfast.
Separated from the furnace by wood
en- partition was stairway, and on
the other side was another stairway.
while just beyond was the light shaft.
1t was these openings that furnished
the combined draught which gave the
fire its impetus. Within n few moments
after the flames were seen the entire
house was enveloped in smoke. As
soon as Whitney saw the flash he ran
up stairs 10 Mr.. Armiger to give the
alarm. The flames aud smoke fol-
lowed him quickly, and once up he
could rot get down again.
As soon as the Fire Department ar
rived nets were stretched beneath the
windows and the firemen called to
those at the windows to jump. The
crowd in the street, not realizing the
extent of the fire and smoke within the
house, yelled ''.lon't jump" The be-
wildered inmates held back, and some
of them disappeared from the windows
Apparently they went back for cloth
ing, or perhaps for some treasured
valuable possession. 1t was fatal
move, and in most instances cost Il
life.
Policemen Cerlos and Grove, i'll an
attempt To rescue those whose lives
were in drnger, broke in the front
door. II was mistake, for it only
gave the fire, winch had begun in the
basement, the draught it needed, and
it roared through the Railways and up
the stairs with greater herceness. The
policemen could no, reach the i'm
perilled people, for the stairs were then
mass OF flames, and the smoke blind
ing. The firemen had by this time
thrown up ladders in the front of the
house, and District Chief McA fee
climbed up to the second story window,
where Mrs. Armiger was crying for
help. The ladder did not quite reach
the window, and there was the widest
excitement in the Gro sd below rs
McAiee stood on the upper round Of
the ladder and grasped the window sill
for support.
The Chief encouraged Mrs. Armiger
to swing herself out of the window.
As the Chief grasped her with one
arm, he steadied himself with the
other, and had taken one step down
the ladder, when it slipped, and Me
Aiee, with the woman in one arm and
with the other holding to the window
frame, dangled in the air. Fortu-
naiely for them, McAiee caught the
top round Of the ladder OF his toe,
and, pulling it back into its place, re-
leased his hold upon the window aud
quickly descended with the woman to
the sidewalk. \ great cheer went up
as rescued and rescuer reached terra
iirma.
Meantime the smoke poured from
the omen windows and the crowd
around the building had increased 10
hundreds AT one of the third story
windows appeared the face OF Il man.
He raised the window. and reaching
out his hands, shouted to the multi
tude below. Ii sent him back an en-
couraging shout, and Il moment later,
before ladder could he run up, dis
appeared When the firemen reached
the window the body oi the man was
found living beneath it. suiiocated, and
badly burned 1t was Harold Manuel,
New York stock broker and banker.
In his arms was little Richard Riley,
a grandson of Mr.. Armiger, also
dead
Alice }. Williams, one of the color
eel servants, appeared at one of the
fourth-story windows, shrieking. She
leaned far out over the pavement.
Don't jump! Don't jump yelled
Il hundred voices. She stepped back
wringing her hands. Then she lean.
ed out again and appeared to he try
ing to call something 10 those below.