The sun., 1899-08-29


clothing and he was forced to run for his IN,
He lost all the rest Of his clothing. He wa
standing near the dormitory just ~ Siste
Marie fell aud narrowly escaped being hit b
her. He picked up her unconscious body an,
carried II down the hill. outside the range o
the heat Of tho IRE.
The fire next spread to the visitors cottage
where the servants we're asleep. All but tw,
OF them got out safely. These two were Mar,
Mccarthy who had been Ill for some time will
organic heart trouble and whose transfer {,
the New York Hospital had been considered
and an old charity patient named Jane
| The latter had been there 80 lon6
that even the sisters have forgotten
her namo. She was bed ridden. and although
| several attempts were made to reach her al
were fruitless. and she was burned to death
Mary MCCARTHY rushed out OF the burning
house in her night dress. and had reached the
lawn In safety. Then her weak heart refused
to stand the strain any longer and she col-
lapsed. She was carried. unconscious. down
tho hill and placed on the lawn beside Sister
Marie.
The girls. forty in number. In the convent.
had been equally well trained In the fre drill
and they all succeeded In getting out safely.
All OF the sisters refused to leave the burning
building until they saw that every child had
kohc' leIbsa hlJnOuRn only 10 years
old. had marsbaled the little girls out In
perfect order. She started to count
them. when she suddenly saw that the
sisters were still in the building and that their
escape was about to be cut of by the burning
through Of the staircases Regardless other own
safety, she rushed back In the burning house
to warn them. SIN sped up the stairs which
fell after her with a crash. The sisters mean
while ha 1 become alive to their danger and were
seen at the windows OF the fourth and third
floors Some OF them jumped to the roof OF an
extension shed. one story high. in the renr OF
the building. and these. for the most part. es-
capped serious injury.
Sister Agnes was one OF the first TO make a
leap from the fourth floor. She was on the
side that prevented her from reaching the roof
OF the shed. 50 she climbed out OF the win
dow. grasped the shutter with both hands
and swung herself clear OF the flames.
She hung on for moment or two un-
til she was perfectly balanced and
then let go. She landed on her feet on the lawn
and escaped without mark. Sister Catherine
was not so fortunate. She jumped and landed
on her sde. breaking her right arm.
Sister Bertrand and Sister Sienna jumped
together. Both we're so severely injured
that the physicians fear that they may not
recover. Sister Ignatus was the last one to
leave the building. She was badly burned
about tho face and hands before she jumped
and her clothing was afre Her fall injured
her spine. but friendly hands extinguished the
blazing clothes, and she was carried with the
rest to the temporary hospital down the hill.
There is only one person who thinks that |
Teresa Murphy came out OF the building !
safely. This sister says that she saw some |
Dne rush out Just after the stairs fell. |
'lasping n small baby in her arms She |
said that this girl ran TO the woods shrieklng
Is she went. II was hoped for a time that this
vas Teresa Murphy and that she had wan
Tered away In the woods while overcome with
lystera But the woods were searched and
10 trace was found OF her. II was believed
Generally that the girls body would be found
n the ruius
Emma Mackin aud Helen Brown, two little
inmates Of tho convent had come down the
tairs hand in hand Both were screaming
'hen thoy reached the lawn. but as the
urned and saw the awful work being
one by the flames. and realized from
that they had escaped they became
ven more frightened than they had heen
'h'le making their escape. Both soon fell to
he ground exhausted by their screams. Tho |
lords of comfort and assurance by the sisters
ad no effect and although a doctor visited
hem Immediately he was unable to help them
nd they died within an hour.
They were not hurt" said DR. Leitner, who
TENDED thom. the poor little things were
imply scared to death"
Meantime. some one In the village
al noticed the glare OF the flames.
nd had sont a call to the fre depart
lents of Piermont and Syack for help.
hief Gihuly, OF Nyack. responded with truck
o. and Mazcppa Engine. Chief John Lett
nj Of pinr onnt ara ho |
he Empire Engine Company. The latter chief
ssumed charge OF the fire. but by the time the
remen arrived all OF the buildings were
urned almost to the ground with the e1cep-
on Of the hospital. which was just beginning
} catch on the front OF the building nearest to
Ie flames.
There was only one patient In the hospital
boy lust recovering from pneumonia He
'as wrapped in blankets and was carried out
ately. The hremen wet the house thoroughly |
lside as well as out. ana managed by hard
urk to save it, They were greatly hampered
y lack Of water. as there were no wells avail
BILE and the water hai to be pumped from an
rthca lake several hundred feet away
The children. most OF whom were attired in
othing but their light clothing stood hutdled
'gether on the lawn. and watched the only
ONE thoy knew being eaten up BY the
ames. Tho farmers In tho neigh hberhood all
lme out with their farm wagons and
'rryalis ard offered to take as many
4 possible TO their homes. Dr. George
either OF Piermont. who is the house surgeon
both St Agness sai st. Joseph's worked
nong the frightened children and injured
s,crs like Trojan from few minutes after
le fire started. Eight doctors from Nyack were
lere also and tho offer Of the farm
d wns about to be accented, when
apt. George Blair. who has charge
the outdoor poor OF Now York. and
no is stopping at Blauvelt for the summer.
rived on the scene He promptly committed
/ the spot all OF the children to st. Joseph's.
nd tho farmers took the little ones and the
ounded sisters over the hill roads to Blau-
1t. whore arrangements had already been I
ade to receive them. Mr.. Blair said tonight
at no was going to send fifty OF the boys and
| Of the girls to New York. where they will he ;
'mmitted TO other institutions for the time
ling. s
The scene about the place to-day was DESC
lte. The beautifully kept lawn and the land
ape gardening was burned to crsp for $50 !
ct on all sides OF the burned buildings, Tn. I