The Indianapolis journal., 1897-02-01
HIS FAMILY BURNED UP
WHILE CHARLES SCHROEDER
PLAYED CARDS IN A SALOON.
Resulted i'm the Death of Sew
Helpless People.

NEW YORK Jan. Sl.-During the early
hours to-day two fires occurred in Hobo
ken, N j., which resulted in the loss of
seven lives. Many poor people were made
homeless and many had narrow escapes for
their lives. The fires occurred in different
parts Of the city and one of them at least
is believed TO have been of incendiary
origin. The first fire started in the three
story frame building at No. 40 Newark
street. There mother and five children
lost their lives. AT the other fire a little
girl was burned TO death. The dead are:
Mrs Nellie Schroeder. forty years old,
wife of Charles Schroeder; her children
Henry. eleven years old; Kate, nine years:
Maggie seven years: John. three years and
Willie, three months Mabel Mangles.
The second fire was at No. i53 to 159 Four
teenth street. 1t was there little Mabel
Mangles pershed. Her sister Florence was
seriously burned but is expected to recover.
1t was about midnight when the fire was
discovered in the ramshackle building at
40 Newark street Several families lived in
the building. the lower floors of which were
used as a blacksmith shop and q carpenter
shop. The Schroeders lived on the top
floor. Charles Schroeder. who is a bar
keeper out of work. was not at home when
the fire started. His wife and children were
asleep in their rooms. 1t took but q mo-
ment for the flames to get complete control
of the building. All but the Schroeder fam
lily, however. among the tenants managed
TO make their escape, a number of them
getting to the ground from the windows.
After the firemen got TO work it was dis
covered that the Schroeder family was mis-
sing, and every effort was made to reach
the top of the blazing structure. Flames
and smoke drove the men back and it was
not until the building was almost complete
ly gutted that the fremen were able TO get
to the Schroeder apartments. This
about an hour after the blaze began. Mrs.
Schroeder was found lying on the bed.
which was partially burned, with her infant
on her breast. Two of the other children
lay on the bed and one on the floor. There
was a flicker of life in the woman and she
through the burning hail. She died few
minutes later. The four children, all dead.
were brought down, but the body OF the
fifth could not be found then by the almost
asphyXiated rescuers. An hour later. how
ever, when the fire was almost extinguish-
ed, more thorough Searcn OF the rooms
was made and the BODY of the fifth child
found under the bed. close to the wall.
Meanwhile Schroeder himself. VINO had been
playing cards at ii nearby saloon, had APP
peared on the scene but the calamity did
not seem TO affect him as much as had been
anticipated.
Hardly had this fire been put out than the
men were compelled to hasten to Four
teenth street, where fire had got control of
the building at No. 157. Within a few min
utes after the outbreak the entire house
was a mass oil flames and men. women and
children appeared at the windows in their
night clothes and called for help. A num-
Der of thrilling rescues were made. and all
the tenants except the family of Henry c.
Mangles. on the top floor, were got out in
safety Mangles and his wife and family
We're awakened bV the smoke and the roar
of flames and tired 10 make their escape
by the stairway. They were met by n wave
OF flame and driven back into their rooms
Eventually. and by the use OF ladders from
an adjoining house. all were taken out ex-
cept the child Maoei. She had been lifted
to the roof but OIL taking hold of the edge
of the scuttle hole found it was hot and
let go her grasp. She fell TO the narrow
landing at the head of the stairs and rolled
down into the furna - beneath. One of the
other children was severely burned and was
sent to St Mary Hospital.