New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-29
FOUR DEAD AT A FIRE
A MOTHER THROWS HER TWO CHILDREN
TO THE STREET AND is THEN BURNED.


A vrCTIM-NARRow ESCAPES FROM
'' DEATH TRAP WHICH AN INCENDIARY
is THOUGHT TO HAVE FIRED
fire. which it is thought started by an
incendiary. In the hathouse at No. Las lh'ru-
ave. early yesterday morning, caused the death
of four persons--Mrs. Celia Brunett, nfty-hVe
years old: Mrs Carrie Newell thirty seven years
old: John Newell seven years old and Louis
Newell eighteen months old
Mrs Newell in trying to save her little chill
dren dropped them from the fourth-story WIN
dow They were killed. and she was burned 10
dealt before she could escape. Mrs. B!unett was
also burned TO death. her son escaping from 'he
building without injury, and thinking all the
time that his mother had been taken out or the
house.
A motorman Of Third-ave. trolley-car told
Patroln.an Halloran, of the Fourth-ave. station
lust after o'clock yesterday morning, that
fire had started in the fathouse at NO l-'o
Thrd-ave Halloran turned in an alarm at once
In the first fiat lived Mrs. Mary Hussey with
her daughters Margaret ard Mary, Anthony
Sheehan and William Jasper. the latter beins
relatives Of Mrs Hussey The only entrance 10
the building in the Fifty-fourth-st. SIDE
The Husseys had scarcely time TO escape from
the front windows. Several policemen gathered
in front of the flats and caught the members OF
Mrs IIussey's household as they jumped.
The flames leaped from the first floor through a
dumbwaiter shaft TO the top fat which was occu-
pied bv Mrs. Burnett and her son Frank. Young
Burnett swung himself out OF the window in
the Fifty-fourth-st. side of the house and
aronped thirty feet to the ground. He says that
the first person he saw he asked if his mother
had been rescued and was told that she had
been.
Mrs. Brunett's body found shut up in
little alcove. She had evidently been crazed by
terror and fastened herself in TO die. instead of
trying to escape
In the fourth fat lived John Newell. with his
wife and two children. The father occupied a
room in the front Of the building and his wife
slept with the children in the rear NeWel' IN
some manner managed 10 escape with only
slight burns Newell swung himself out or the
window nearest the fiat building next door. AS
he was about TO fall neghbors leaned from the
adjoining window and pulled him in.
On the Fifty fourth-st. side, just as the names
were bursting from the window below. Mrs
Newell was seen holding her baby In her arms
with her seven year-old boy at her side. She
screamed for help, but the fremen had not yet
arrived and there was no ladder avaiiapie.
motorrnan hurriedy secured rubber overcoat,
and with the help of the policemen, stretched 1t
beneath the window and motioned for her TO
jump She hesitated. leaned out. and swung
her baby out into the glare Of the flames.
At that moment smoke burst from the VIM
dows below obscuring her view Of the men who
were holding the coat The child struck the
street several feet from the policemen. who could
not see it's descent account of the dense smoke,
and almost before the policemen could do any
thing. another child shot downward and struck
the pavement where the first had struck Both
were instantly killed.
Mrs Newell turned from the window and fell
backward into the flames. Her charred body
was found stretched across the doorway leading
10 the rear.
The police believe that the fire was Of in
cendiary origin because another fire at NO. ooI
Third ave. broke out less than a quarter OF an
hour before. The only damage that this fire did
3D. was 10 take from the neighborhood Of the dis
astrous fire the engines and trucks which other
wise could have responded TO the alarm
promptly.
The building is owned by the estate Of Hans
Christensen and the loss is $1,000. The tenants
lose about 5000.