The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-03

John Henderson and his thirteen year.
old son. Percy who were so badly burn
ed In the fire at Mrs. Farrcll's boarding
house. 2oiO Chapllne street. at / o'clock
yesterday morning, died before noon.
Both OF the victims were SO severely
burned that medical relief was imposSl-
bic and death came to the father at $50
a. M. and to his son at 800 a. m. James
Brady, whose face and hands were burn
ed. in rescuing tho Hendcrsons, will re-
cover. though his injuries will be painful
to him for a long time to come.
The father died In one OF the rooms at
his boarding house, and the boy died at
tho home Of Mr.. Haynes. across the
street. where he had been removed, Both
the dead bodies Of father and son are now
lying side by side In a room adjoining
the bed room, where they slept their last
sleep.
Crowds visited the scene Of the fire all
day and the origin OF the fire still re-
mains a mystery, and continues to be an
absorbing topic on the South Side. Much
sympathy has been expressed for the two
victims. and the sad spectacle OF white
front door IS seen.
Various theories are advanced for the
origin Of the fire. The lamp In the bed
room did not explode, and there are no
evidences OF the fire being close to the
crate, so neither OF those theories have
much weight a son OF Mrs. Farrell
claims the fire to be the work Of fire bugs
He thinks that coal oil was poured on the
floor, Just inside OF the door opening from
the hall and alongside the bed occupied
by the father and son. He makes the re-
maTkahlc statement that hiS mother had
purchased u can OF oil on the previous
dny.and from which she filled five lamps.
Yesterday morning, after the fire, the
can was found in the pantry full Of oil
How the can came to be full OF oil, after
It was nearly emptled OF its contents. Is
unexplained. No motive for incendiaT-
Ism Is given, and the victims are not
known to have any enemies and why
the bed room was set on fire, II 1t was set
on fire, will probably remain mystery.
One argument against the incendlary
theory Is that the fire was only in tho In
side OF the room. Nothing outside Is
burned, unless It ls the outside OF the bed
room. opening into the hall. This door
Ia scorched little, on the outside, but
this probably resulted after the door was
burst open.
There are two windows. and two doors
in the room. One of the window frames,
at the foot OF the Henderson, bed, Is
considerably charred. and the door frame
and floor near the bed Is also the worst
burned Brady's bed was adjacent. but
though the fire was not quite 50 close 10
him, he awoke first. and II was his
heroic efforts that rescued the Hender-
sons from the flames. The bed tick and
bed clothing Of the Henderson, Were al
most destroyed, and so fierce and sudden
was the heat that It had wrapped father
and SON. In its death -deallng flames.
The Henderson bed side was really the
centre OF the flames, and had the fire
been the work OF an lncendiary, he map
ped out the work well II he had grudge
10 even up. But as Henderson had no
enemies the fire does not seem the work
OF fire bugs. To set fire to the bed room.
entrance to the house must be gained,
and then. n long hallway and turning
staircase be traversed so the fire fiend
theory Is not very plausible. And even
II the elder Henderson had an enemy, he
must indeed be a flend to cremate the
body OF al Innocent child.
There Is another theory for the fire,
and one that probably ts the true one. II
Is that the fire is n result OF carele1sness
or negligence on the part Of the inmates.
The fire came from within the room, and
did not get outside. Henderson was
known as an inveterate smoker, and 1t
may be that his bed caught fire from the
burning ashes OF his pipe or cigar
Though he drank occasionally, It is de-
MED by the other inmates OF the house.
hold that either Henderson or Brady mad
been drinking before they went to bed
that night. But It does look n little as
though the fire was charGeable TO smok-
ing.
Years OF age. and an Englishman by
birth. His wife died about four years
ago. and since then he AID his son have
boarded with Mrs. Farrell. lis father
llyes in Australia, and he has relatives
in Baltimore, VINO were communicated
with Yesterday by Mr.. Samuel Hender-
son. n brother OF the deceased. who lives
IN Twenty seventh street. Henderson
was a potter, and an employe OF the
wheeling Pottery Company. The funeral
will take place tomorrow afternoon. ln-
torment at Greenwood.
The father never spoke after he was
dragged out Of the burning nom, and his
nervous system was 30 depressed that
death came easy TO him. Ihe niue poy
was full OF pluck to the last, ana tore the
bandagcs of his face because they seem,
cd 10 worry him. He coolly removed
sbreds OF baked flesh from his arms, and
hIs death was not looked for 80 surely as
that OF his father. The funerals Will
take place together.