Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-01-29
Persisted IN FLAMES.
The Awful Fate of Leroy III.
AmidOn,

MOrning---Vent Back to His Room to
save Ills EHects---Other Occupants
Had Narrow Escapes---Property Loss
OF 10000.
The second disastrous fire within a few
months visited West Brattleboro early
Monday morning, and resulted in the de-
struction of property valued at $4,000, and
the burning to death of Leroy II. Amidon,
a bright, promising youth of II. Soon af-
ter 80 o'clock Mrs. Daniel Harris, who
lives in John Sargent's house, was awak-
ened by flash of light upon her chamber
window, and looking out across the ruins
of last summers fire, saw flames issuing
from the carriage shed Of the L. II. Knapp
building She spoke to her husband who
aroused the other people in the house and
| gave the alarm upon the street. Mr.. Har-
ris then started to notify the inmates of
the burning building, who we're: L. II.
Knapp and daughter, Leroy Amidon and
Arthur Bailey. Mrs. Knapp was visiting
in Hnsdale, n. II. Amidon and Bailey
boarded and roomed at Mr.. Knapp's, the
former being a student at Brattleboro
academy and the latter the village black
smith.
The house was a two and one-half story
frame building, to which was attached an
L which connected the main building with
the barn. The front part of the l. ad-
joining the barn was open and was used as
a carriage house by Mr.. Knapp. In the
basement of the main building was the
meat market of Horace Prefountain and
directly over this was the drug store of Dr.
w. d. Otterson. The building also con-
tanned three tenements, two of which were
unOccuped. A flight of stairs ran on the
outside of the building from the carriage
shed to the second floor, and it was near
these stairs that the fire started.
At nearly the same time that Mrs. Har-
rs saw the flames Mr.. Bailey, who occu-
pied a room on the second floor of the L.,
was awakened by the cracking of the tim
bers. Smoke was already pouring into
his room and he quickly shouted to Mr..
Knapp, whose family occupied rooms in
the main building, and also spoke to young
Amidon, whose room was on the third
floor. BY this time the Congregational
church bell began TO ring, arousing all the
people In the village The Western hand
engine company came out in a very few
minutes and, with the engine on the COM
mon, began playing a stream OF water up
on the Baptist parsonage, which stood but
a few feet from the burning building, as it
W seen that il would be useless to try to
save the Knapp building. A message ask
ing for assistance was telephoned TO Chief
Engineer Turner of this village, who rang
in the West Bratteboro alarm five strokes
three times) and started steamer No. and
hose cart No. 3 to the scene.
The occupants of the building were able
to partially dress and escape Amidon
carried out part of his clothes and then re-
entered the building for the remainder
IIa 1. fotr D.s 1,
told him that the flames had progressed so
far that it would be dangerous TO remain
longer in the building. Amidon, as a
young man endeavoring to work his way
through school, realized the value of his
property and pushed on to the third floor
lie was seen to throw out some clothing
from the window, and TO go back into the
room. Several inquiries were made as the
fire progressed and excitement ran high as
he did not appear and the spectators began
to realize that he had persisted.
Scarcely any property was saved, as the
flames spread rapidly both ways. The
steamer arrived in due time but it was not
used as the fire was fast dying down, but
instead the fremen took hold of the hand
engine with the West Brattleboro firemen
and assisted in saving the parsonage. One
side of the parsonage was scorched, but the
wind was blowing directly away from the
building, otherwise it would have been
burned.
At o'clock the fire was extinguished,
but search for the body of young Amidon
could not be made until daylight. The
body was found in the northeast corner of
the l. near tue shed and lay partially over
a well, which was nearly uncovered. Only
the trunk was found and that was charred
beyond recognition. The head, arms and
legs were entirely destroyed. The BODY
was taken to the Baptist church, where a
cOroner's inquest was held by DR.. A. |.
Miller and Seectmen Webster and Wealth
erhead. Anidon was the youngest of five
children of Mrs. John Jillson of West
| Dummerston, and was brother of Rty
Amidon, clerk in Z. d. Whitney's grocery
store, formerly with Scott Il Jones; of
Otis Amidon, formerly employed by A. G.
Barnes; of Merton Amidon, and of Miss
Alzina Amidon of East DummeIston. He
was an honest, hard working boy and was
much liked in West Brattleboro He was
president of the Christian Endeavor society
of the Baptist church. The funeral was
held at the home OF his aunt, Mrs. d. A.
Burnham at 20 South Main street at
o'clock Wednesday, Rev, +. S. Smith of
West Brattleboro officiating. The burial
was in West Chesterfield, which was Ami
don's native town.
The burned building was sold by Mr..
Knapp last July to Welcome A. Ramsdell
and was insured for $500 with Sherman &
JENNIE. In the carriage house was 1000
feet of finished lumber and from 5000 to
1000 feet of clapboards owned by Mr..
Knapp, who was engaged in the lumber
business in connection with his harness
making This was burned together With
the harness which had not been taken to
the building into which Mr.. Knapp was
moving, and also several sleighs, wagons
and other vehicles, his household furniture
and one horse. There was an insurance
OF Sl0O on the carriages and stable proper
ty with Sherman IL JENNIE, $500 on the
harness and stock in trade, 500 on tools
and machinery, and $500 on household
furniture with A. w. Childs & Co. The
total value of Knapp's property was about
5000. Prefountain's loss was $500, COW
cred by insurance with A. W. Childs &
Co. He had ON hand a good supply of
beef and pork and had recently put in a
new refrigerator at cost of 500.
Mr.. Bailey's loss was $500, with no in
surance. His young driving horse and Mr..
Knapp's horse were burned. Mr. Bailey
also lost his sleigh, buggy, harness, robes.
clothing, rifle, fur coat which cost $40
and 50 in money. DR.. Otterson had
moved the larger part of his stock to the
hotel at the terminus of the electric road.
where he lived, but had left in the build
ing quantity of drugs and fixtures. a
trunk Of clothing and gold watch belong
| Ing TO Mrs. OttersOn, His loss Was SQOn