The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-12
Is LIVES LOST.
Deadly Tenement House Fire in
Newark, N. j.
Started by Incendiary While
Occupants We're Asleep.

Newark, N. J., March Fifteen per-
sons, a majority of whom were child
ren, were burned to death at a tene-
ment house at Morris and Fourteenth
avenues about o'clock this morning.
Thirteen bodies were recovered from
the ruins within three hours after the
flames had been extinguished.
The building was a three story frame
structure formerly used as a church.
but transformed into a tenement house
with small rooms scarcely eight by ten
feet in dimensions. opening into mar
row hallway on both the second and
third floors. forming a veritable fire
trap. This is right in the heart of the
Italian district and the greatest ex-
citement prevailed.
This feeling has been greatly intensi-
fed since z o'clock when it first became
known that the fire was of incendiary
origin and within Is minutes of the
time when this report was first circula-
ted. Men and women well nigh crazed
by grief ran tearing around the streets
looking for the man who was response
Bile for the frightful tragedy, ard threat
ening all sorts of vengeance.
Three or four minutes after o'clock
this morning the fire was discovered,
but long before the fire apparatus
reached the scene. the interior Of the
burning tenement was peopled with
wild Italians running hither and thith-
er, unable to find means of escape. Ev-
cry room emptied it's occupants into
those narrow little halls and there was
no escape for the frightened tenants be-
cause of the jam and they could not
get out. There were at least II fami-
lies in the place, so persons in all. of
whom perhaps so were children unable
to care for themselves.
Four men jumped from front VIM
dow and several were hurt. The flames
spread with frightful rapidity and the
wind sent the sparks southeast threat
ening all the frame tenements in that
direction. The place was like a, roaring
caldron when the -firemen reached the
place The ladders were quickly put in
position and then began the work of
rescue.
One after another the women and
then the men were taken down while
other firemen devoted their attention to
drowning out the flames. This they sue
ceeded in doing in less than an hour
but during that hour frightfuI sacri-
flee had been offered
Nearly every room in the house con-
tanned it's victim. Few were really
burned to death. Most of them We're
smothered. The bodies were carried out
by the firemen.
PARTIAL LIST OF THE DEAD.
TONY PALMISONO, 81 years, Ia
borer.
MRS. PALMISONO. his wife.
PALMISONO, child.
MRS. EUGENE CASTILLO.
- CASTILLO, child.
- CASTILLO, child.
- CASTILLO, child.
- CASILLO, child.
MRS. NUNCIATA BALDI, so years.
- BALDI, girl 6 years
MRS GAETANI PALMISONO.
BODIES PINNED DOWN
In different places in the ruins hui
man bodies may be seen pinned down
by heavy timbers. The rescurers are
some yet may be rescued alive. but there
is little chance Of any one now in the
ruins being alive. Two victims have
been taken to the hospital. One Of them
is severely burned. The other was In
jured by jumping from the second story
of the burned tenement.
Vito Credavo is locked up on suspicion
of having set fire to the building Cra-
davo, with his wife and two children
occupied the rear portion of one of the
upper stories. He was arrested on a
statement made by Virginia Di Prula.
who was a boarder in the house. DI
Prula told Capt. Edwards that when he
was awakened by the smoke he found
Credavo and his family fully dressed
and ready to leave the burning building
When Credavo was taken to the sta
tion house he became much excited but
denied that he had set fire to the build
ing or had any knowledge as to the
origin of the fire.