The sun., 1899-03-22
WOMEN LEAP FROM A FIRE.
TWO kILLED AND FIFTEEN INJURED
At AN OMtHA BLAzE

Fire Started During Women's Lodge
Meeting on tho Third FIoor-Thirtcsn
Jumped from the Windows After Cling
ing Until Terribly Burned-Ten Thousand
Persons Watched Them, Unable to Help.
OMAHA. Neb.. March 21.-Fiftcen women we're
imprisoned In the third story Of the Patterson
block this afternoon as the result Of an oil OK
plosion and fire below. When 1t looked as II
they would be burned to death. thirteen OF the
women jumped to the stone pavement be-
low. One was instantly killed. ono died
tonight. and all the others were more
or less seriously injured A number OF them
are expected to die The plight OF the women
was witnessed by thousands Of people who
were unable to render aid. Men attempted to
break the falls with outstretched arms. but to
| no avail. The flremen did not arrive in time to
save them because The building burned so
| rapidly.
The victims are all member OF the Ladies'
Branch OF the Royal Neighbors. knights Of
Maccabees. and at the time the fire broke out
were in session in their temple. which occupied
the top story OF the building.
The dead are Mrs. Thomas Taylor and Mrs
A. J.. Samuelson. The injured: Mrs. A. A.
Smith. Mrs. Thomas =. Thornton. Mrs. Susie
Allen. Mrs. Williams. Mrs. French. Mrs. c. f.
Brosius. Mrs. A. King. May Samuelson. 3 years
old: Mrs. G. d. Wilson. Mrs Shamel, Mrs. J. C.
Holt. Marguerite Holt, years old Mrs. Harry
Hopkins. Mrs. Atherson. Mrs. Jerry Sullivan.
Mrs. W. A. Rex. Mrs. Edward Shriner. and Jan
itor W. W. Scott
The explosion occurred in a closet under the
stairway leading to the room occupied by the
ladies'. and their escape from that direction
| was apparently cut off. A fire escape was
available on the opposite side OF the
hthtl1 Al
presence Of mind 10 attempt to reach
that point was Mrs. Broscr. and she
| appeared to succumb to the excitement
the moment she reached the ladder and
| dropped TO the street. When the cry OF FIRE from
| the street attracted their attention two Of tho
women DID make their way to the stairs and
Mrs. l. c., Holt came out in this way. but in
| the struggle she was parted from her B-year-
safety she scoSersd ' that her i chd i1s"f was not
through the fiames. she ran back. went to the
third h9or and brought her child down In
safety hsro Both were tsrri6iy burned
bravery and great presence Of mind among the
eTf M Ms Sns An wte
ail around her. She sat on the sill and care, care,
Men rushed beneath. taking of their coats to
break her fall. Some cried to her to leap.
| wnlle OtherS waved her back. saying the lire
men would soon arrive Mrs. Allen leaned far
out over the window to save her, face and at
| the same time she encouraged the others
| to hold on to their perilous positions
| In the windows until rescucrs arrived Finally
she could stand 1t no longer, and motloncd to
| the crowd below that she was about to jump.
| She carefully wrapped her skirts around her
and leaped for out from the building. Her
| body turned over number OF times and her
| head struck the stone tagging. She was prob
| ably fatally injured
| - A number OF the women escaped with broke en-
| lint bs and a few burns The ambulances were
| on the way to the scene before the women had
| as they were picked up they were taken to
| the doctors Offices Mrs Taylor clung to n
| window until life was almost extinct. and her
| dead body fell to the pavement
-, The screams 81 the women as they rushed to
| the windows and found themselves i'm mprsoncd
| brought a great crowd to the scene Ten
| thousand persons surrounded the building
when the fremenn arrived and impeded their
| work. The building was completely gutted.