The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-16
FINE HORSES BURNED
Disastrous Blaze in NJ. V.
Murphys Stable on Har-
mon Street Last
Evening.
LOOKS LIKE INcENDIARlsM
Vain Efforts to Rescue the Suffer-
ing Animals Excited Crowd
About the junction.
LOOKS LIKE INCENDIARlSM

Fire destroyed the stable of Michael v.
Murphy, of No 81 Harmon street. last
night. Hollander, a Valuable stallion with
a trotting record, and Baby, a small gray
horse, one of a team that Mr.. Murphy
drove for pleasure, persisted in the flames.
Two other horses, one OF which was
Gladstone. the second gray, and a mare
were rescued. :
The origin of the fire is a mystery. 1t
appears somewhat suspicious, as about
three years & Mr.. Murphy lost a trot-
ting horse valued at s1,e00 in the same
manner. There was little doubt that
thai fire was the work of an incendiary,
as kerosene was found poured upon the
timbers that did not burn.
It was shortly before eight O'Clock last
night that Jesse" a colored man, en-
ployed by Mr.. Murphy. saw smoke curl
ing from the roof of the stable. He gave
the alarm of fire and then started toward
the building to save the horses. Patrol
mar Comstock summoned the engines
from Box No. 81. When Jesse" reached
the stable door he found it locked. An
other employe had the key. The only
chance of getting into the place was
through a window beside the door. which
was several feet from the ground. Jesse
smashed the window and jumped
IN. He was closely followed by
Daniel DAILY and George Hall. They
had to jump through the flames, which
Were ieaping hig from a pile of rub
'plsh IN the corner nearest the window.
one inside the three boys placed their
shoulders against the double doors and
exerting all their strength broke the lock
and forced them open. Their next step
was to free the three animals that were
IN the stalls facing the door. The mare
Daisy was the first to be freed. as the
flames We're directly in front of her stall.
She leaped through the blaze and was
soon ons IN q place OF safety, Ideline fol-
gray. He became frightened and while
Jesse We're getting him out. DAILY and Hall
were at work in the rear of the stable,
fined IN box stalls. Neither of the horses
had halter or bride on. Daly opened
bapys stall first. He drove the poor
oruse through he doorway into the outer
SIaDIe ana then turned his attention to
ioliander. The intelligent brute shifted
me smoke and refused to bulge. DAILY
s gra bped MN Inn bby the nose while Hail
Iney attempted to lead him out.
Hollander was quiet enough until
ne caught sight of the flames when he
tcuiSu Gnu piGISeu ana SHOOK DAILY and
his companion loose. They kicked and
pushed the animal, but it would not bulge
from the stall. To d to the confusion
the flames leaped across the p-assageway
and Baby came running back neighinr
with terror. Daily and Hall remained I'M
I'll the heat of the flames became UNI
bearaDle and then pulling their coats over
their heads they dashed through the
names, leaving the two horses behind
them. They did not give UP all hope of
saving them, however.
ing they secured a number of axes and
assisted by John DAILY and a man named
llsen they began to tear away the rear
wall of the building and get at the i'm
prisoned horses in that way. They work
ed swiftly, but the flames were even
swifter. When they finally succeeded in
tearing a hole in the wall it was Loo
late. They were just in time to witness
the death struggle Of Baby. Hollander
touched by the flames, but dead
from suffocation. Baby was not so
to a crisp. In his death struggles
he beat his head against the partition
with force sufficient to shatter a plank.
The engines were late in arriving, but
once upon the scene they quickly ex-
the fire was all over. Mr.. Murphy was
passing Harmon street on a trolley car
when he saw the flames. He was pres
ent during most of the excitement. He
cannot account for the fire. Jessie. who
was the last one in the stabl before the
blaze was discovered. says that every
thing was all right when he left at Gas
o'clock. It was only last week that Mr.
Murphy refused. to accept an offer of
81, GOO for Hollander.