The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-22
MET A HORRIBLE DEATH
Lifeless Body of John F. Fine
Found in the Ruins.
HANDS BURNED TO CRISP
He Tried to Escape From a Burning
Building-He Fell Through the Floor
and Was Smothered to Death
by the Smoke.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Billings. Dec. 21.-The lifeless body of
John F. Fine was discovered this morn.
ing about IL o'clock under the floor of
his store, which was burned Sunday
morning. The body was lying face
downward close up to the side wall
about 80 feet from a large hole which
had been burned in the floor, and about
20 feet from the front foundation The
head was turned in the direction of this
hole. He was fully dressed, his hands
were burned to a crisp and one ear was
burned and his hair singed.
When the fire was discovered Sunday
morning both doors of the store were
locked. SO the theory of the tragedy is
that the deceased went into the store
some time after leaving the Grand no.
tel. where he had spent the previous
evening and which he left at 80 a. m
filled the stove with coal and fell asleep:
that he was awakened by the fire and
sprang to his feet to run out of the front
door and that the floor had become so
weakened with the fire that ii had cayed
in, precipitating him and the stove into
the hole. about four feet deep; that
finding 1t impossible to return through
the hole he had attempted to crawl out
by the front. Here there was no means
of egress and he had crawed back, only
" bG Silotueied by the smoke from tha
pile of woolen goods which had been
preciptated into the hole when the floor
gave way.
During the progress of the fire ru-
NOR, how started no one now knows
had gained credence that the unfortu-
nate man had gone on the delayed
Northern Pacific train which left at 2:.z
a. m. to Big Timber to seek a new To-
cation. After the arrival of the train
from the west on Monday morning
without him telegram was sent to Big
Timber inquiring if he was there and
an answer came in the negative. Then
1t began to be suspected that possibly
he might be under the ruins and n
search was made under the floor but
without result. When Tuesday morning
came with no sign of the man, another
party of Searchers started on a more
thorough exploration of the dark spaces
under the floor, with the result of find
ing the body as described.
The deceased is probably well known
in Montana, having been a travelling
salesman for Tootle Wheeler & Motter
of st. Joseph. Mo-, with headquarters at
Dillon, Mont, where his wife is en-
gagged in teaching. Papers found on his
person indicate that he was a member
of Shelton lodge of Free Masons of Shell
ton, Neb., and also of the Woodmen and
knights of Pythias. He came to Bill
ings last Wednesday to take charge of
stock of goods he owned and which
had been in charge of James IL. Coch-
ran. brother of the member of the
legislature from Beayerhead county He
had Cancelled an insurance policy of
10000 on the stock and intended to sleep
In the store to guard 1t against fire.
On the discovery of the body a Jury
was summoned by Coroner Townsend
who had the remains taken 10 Smiths
undertaking establishment and pre-
pared for interment. telegram was
sent notifying the widow Of the sad
fate of her husband and an answer was
received from Dillon that his brother
would be here tomorrow The Jury
did not complete it's investigation, but
adjourned till tomorrow morning.