The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-29
SMALL CHILDREN
IN A BIG BLAZE
ST. Agnes Convent and 0rphanage at
SparkilI, N. Y, Burned Yesterday
FOUR OF The INMATES PERISH.
The lucky Escape Of a Sister Brave
Youth Rushcs Back Into the
Flames and Returns with Two
Baby Boys Under His Arms.
FOUR OF The INMATES PERISH.

sPARKfLL n. y. Aug. 2s-FIre that
broke out at j o'clock this morning de-
stroyod nine of the ten buildings Of SAINT
Aencs Convent and OThanage cn-"i''ns
a loss OF $4,000. ami causing thc dea'h
OF four persons. The dead aIc'
Helen Brown. ased D.
Emma Macluu. aged b.
'Jane." "a pcnsioucr aseo w.
Mary Kate Mccarthy AGED -.
The missing are. Theresa Murphy "seH
Us. Mary Brown.
The scri,.slv injured are. Sister Sienna,
shock and collapse. Sister Marie, burns
and conclusion. Sister Bertrand concus-
sion OF spine and shock. Sister Katherine,
arm broken. Hanna Shea, les broken
Twenty-Five inmates were injured by
falls. jumps and burns. none seriously.
That more lives were. not lost was que 10
tine hor0ism OFF The sisters and some OF
thc older inmate
WHILE INMATES SLEPT
when tho tire broke ont the 400 inmates
of the institution were asleep Most OF
them were gotten out. but score risked
their lives 90 save others. bat were finally
forced to Jump from the upper stories or
make desperate dashcs through the stair
ways 0r corridors. filled with flames and
SMOKE.
The fire was discovered in the lavatory.
and soon spread to the adjoining build
iugs. attacking hrst dormitory boz which
two hundred of the older boys slept An
excellent FIRE dru enabled them TO escape.
By That time. The second domltory where
the smaller boys slept. was ablaze. The
older lads made dash for q building
and We're soon carrying the smaller ones
out
A dozen sisters .re cut on 'n rho urTcr
stories OF tho CON. .ut building. They were
forced 20 the windows and While some
climbed ont 90 the sIls. others kneit at
the easements in prayer Engineer Otto
placed q loug ladder against the outer
wall and rescued half dozen. Six were
forced 10 Jump for their lives. and. for
tunaieiy AN but Sister Bertrand escaped
without serious injury
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
The escape Of Sister Agnes seemed all
most a miracle She was cut of on the
fourth floor and elected 90 jump from her
window rather than plunge into the fur
mace that had once been stairway. She
climbed out on the sin. and then siezing
the shutter. swung ont clear of the build
ing. Then She loosed her hold. She struck
the ground square.y upon her feet and
was uninjured
The fire reached the girls dormitory
last. but once it took hold OF the building
IL burned hercely Most of the girls We're
on the upper floors and 70 was with the
greatest difficulty that they were gotten
out.
BRAVE LAD TO THE RESCUE
Shortly after the last Of the rescucrs
left the second dormitory there was n
counting of hoads and the discovery was
made that two baby boys were missing.
John Cody. O. hfteon-yea boy. made
straight for the door. paying no heed 20
the warnings of danger. A moment later
Cody came dashing out of the building
under each arm carrying one of the miss
ing boys
The sisters and children were conveyed
IN teams 90 the B'auvet Convent
HOW THEY Persisted.
As far as known but one person actu-
nIiv persisted ga the fire itself, that was
"Jane." an old peusioner. aged seventy.
who was asleep in the servants quarters.
Helen Brown ana Emma Mackin died
from commissions that resulted from
fright Kate Mccarthy was a servan, TN
the convent and had organic heart trouble. |
She was badly frightened and died later
in the dav.
IL is believed that Theresa Murphy and |
Mary Brown both escaped from the fire. /
but the former became dcmentod and is /
le8din~ fhe other Girl through the woods. |
1-@a~ s--s~ 20 children in the orphanase.
sixty of whom were girls. and their ages
range from two TO sixteen years.