The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-01-25
HIS HEROIC RESCUE.
HOW PLLCkY JOHN MlCAACO SAVED
HIS CHILDREN.

Ase AAOuSS ASSSNToycN W ElEc-Au uCtNAuS
the Little Ones From the Building He
Was Terribly Burned - Feet Frozen
While Running to = Neighbours.
A special to the Lewiston Journal
from Fort Kent, Me-, says: The story
of plucky John Michaud is the most
heartrendiny ever known or told in this
part of the country. He is in a critical
condition in a neishbor's house, his own
having been burned. His feet are frozen,
and his hands, legs. arlms and face are
burned i'll a horrible name Four of
his small children will live, but the
lls-year.old baby girl may die. and the
wonder of the neighborhood is that they
were not ali roasted or frozen to death.
\ few nights ago, when the Their
mometer registered % degrees below
zero, Mr.. Michaud and his five small
children were thrown into the cold,
home, having no time ever to get cloth
ing. The story Of their terrible expert.
ence has filled the hearts Of the country
people with horror. Mr.. Michaud for
the past year has lived with his five
motherless children in q little two
room, story and a half house not far
from Fort Kent. the mother having died
the latter part Of last winter. Since
then the unfortunate man has provided
as best he could for the little family,
but in spite of all his efforts he was still
poor and by sickness and death was left
with scanty means. He lived about
three miles from the railroad station at
Clair, n. B., and his nearest neighbor
was half a mile away.
In the center of the floor of his living
room was a large stove with a funnel
running up through the ceiling and
roof. The children slept up stairs. Mr..
Michaud slept down. The night of the
fire it was so intensely cold that he
staid up quite late. keeping a hot fire.
About 10 O'Clock he retired. after fill.
ing the stove with wood. Some time
later he awoke TO find the room filled
with flames and smoke, the ceiling be-.
ing on fire.
There were no steps, only a ladder,
20 climb up where the children lay
sleeping. He assembled the ladder and
found the chamber filled with smoke
and the roof already burning and roar
ing like a furnace. He grabbed three
Of the children in his arms and got
them out into the cold air before they
awoke. He left them there and rushed
back for the other two.
BY the time he got there the bed was
on fire. and the fire had reached the
ladder, surrounding him. He was sure
be could not get them both down
through without exposing their bodies
TO the flames, SO grabbing the older Of
the two be threw him out the window.
taking the chances of dashing him tl
death rather than to let him roast alive,
The other, a little girl a year and {
half old, he rolled in his shirt and start
ed for the ladder. He was descendine
through the flames when a burnin.
board from the roof came in on him,
burning his face, neck and arms severe
y, but be chung to his child and man
aged TO get outside. His feet and leg.
were terribly burned.
He knew that a short time in thi!
cold night would freeze the children
so he rushed into the burning shed anC
brought out two old horse blankets. H.
hen dug a hole in the snow with hi
arms, which Were smarting from terri
bic burns. Laying the blanket down
he huddled the children together, threw
the other blanket over them till nothin.
could be seen but a mound Of snow
After telling them not to move till hi
return he started at full speed for th,
next ~neighbor's house.
One may picture what that journe,
was llke-a man nearly destitute q
clothing, with no shoes, no socks, hi
face, hands, arms and legs horribly
burned, his feet frozen, running agains
the wind with the thermometer 2s be
low zero.
When he got to the house, he was ex
hausted and tainted at the door from thu
effects Of his experience and exposure
The family were so startled that it wa.
some time before they could realize
what had happened. Nurses We're called
and doctors sent for, but the man die
not recover sufficiently to explain til
morning, and it was supposed hat ht
was the only survivor If the family
that the others had persisted in the
flames, but the first words the fathel
spoke We're Of his children. He was too
weak to 20 to them, and when he hat
told the awful story a party Of men has
tened to the scene
To their surprise they found the chill
dren all alive and all we'll, with the ex
ception Of the baby. 1t is feared that thu
chill VIII die, as Its face and BODY Wer,
burned in a horrible manner
The lad that was thrown from thu
window escaped injury. steps have beer
taken to provide for the afflicted fam
lily. A subscription paper has been start
cd, and II leading MAJ at Fort Ken
has headed it with 500.
Too MANY Erienda