Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-08
FOUND ON HIS KNEES DEAD
Henry Francis sufocated by Smoke From
Fire in Boarding House.
Narrow Escape of Several Other
Parties-Flames Cause Damage
Exceeding $1,000.

A fire which resulted in the death Of
Henry Francis, bookbinder. who was en-
ployed in the government printing Office
and the great peril of several other peo-
pie occurred In the boarding house of s.
Goldsmith about II o'clock last night. The
house is No. 1856 Pennsylvania avenue.
In addition to having number of board
ers, Mr.. Goldsmith and his wife conducted
candy store and lunch room on the prem
ises. 1t was a few minutes after IL o. clock
when Mr. Goldsmith closed his store and
went with his wife and child to a rear
apartment on the second floor in the back
building, used by them as a sleeping room.
Having been in the store most of the day
Mr.. and Mrs. Goldsmith were tired. They
had been in their room but a few minutes
De1ore they were sound asleep. X. L. Mol
Ter, an aged artist, who occupied an attic
room, was sitting up doing some writing
when the fire started, and Francis, who
occupied room on the third floor was in
bed asleep. Directly under the latter's room
was the sleeping apartment of John Roth
a carpenter, and it was in his room that
the hre started. Just how it began Is not
known, for Roth says he was asleep at
the time.
Wliilam Summers, a discharged soldier
VINO boarded in the house, was awakened
py the smoke. Without waiting to put on
MS clothing, he rushed about the house
calling fire" and knocking on the doors
IL was due to him that Mr. Goldsmith and
MS wife and child managed to get out of
tnelr room before they were overcome by
the dense smoke then fast filling the build
ing.
An Entrance Forced
Detective Tyser, Policemen Newkirk and
Oriani and Mr.. Atwell of Capitol Hill were
among those who went from the street to
the assistance of the occupants of the house
lhey forced an entrance to the building
Artist Moller was unable to leave his room
and pass through the hall on account of the
SMOKE and at the suggestion of members
OF the rescuing party he climbed out of the
window to the roof and waited till the
names had been eXtinguished. Mrs Carrie
schwartz, John Roth James Ross and his
wife and others who occupied the building
got out without assistance
-Four engine companies. two truck COM
panles and a chemical company under
Assistant Chief Belt, were at the scene
Oh the Ire few minutes after an alarm
was turned in from box II, and the
nremen did excellent work. 1t was due TO
their prompt action that the flames were
prevented from spreading from the room
where the fire started. 1t was after the
flames had been extinguished that Foreman
Sullivan of truck G found the dead BODY of
Francis in his room.
There's dead man upstairs" a boy
shouted, as he was returning to the ground
floor. Mr.. Goldsmith then concluded that
Francis had been overlooked in the work
OF arouSng the sleeping occupants of the
house, or that he had failed to hear the
alarm. Rushing upstairs he found Fran
els body in kneeing position on the
floor with his head buried in a pillow. His
body was still warm, and Mr.. Goldsmith,
believing he was alive, picked him up
and two firemen assisted in removing him
to another room. DIR. Grafton Bailey, who
was called, said the man had been dead
fully fifteen minutes Smoke had suffocated
him, as the flames did not reach his room.