The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-06
TRAIN CREW IS BLAMED
SAID TO HAVE CAUSED SEVEN
DEATHS IN CHICAGO FIRE.
Their Train Blocked the Firemen's
Way to the ames-COnhfcting
Stories of the Trouble.

CHICAGO, May 5.-Seven persons were
burned to death. three fatally injured and
several others slightly burned and other
wise injured in a fire that destroyed
a three-story apartment building at 9Sl0
Marquette avenue, South Chicago, early to-
day.
The Dead
MRS. JOSEPHINE COOLEY.
MABEL COOLEY, six years old, daughter
or Mrs. Cooley.
ANNIE COOLEY, fifteen months old,
daughter of Mrs. Cooley.
PETER ZOOK, owner of the building.
MRS PETER ZOOK-
VICTORIA ZOOK.
NICHOLAS ZOOK.
The Injured
WILLIAM COOLEY, husband Of Mrs.
Josephine Cooley. badly burned; will die
LOUISA CHRISTENSEN, face and body
burned: probably will die.
MABEL CHRISTENSEN. two years old,
daughter of Mrs. Christensen, severely
burned; will die.
HARRY MURPHY, slightly burned and
both lsgs broken by jumping from third
story window; will recover.
JOHN ZOOK. badly burned and bruised
about body; Will recover.
MRS. JULIA ERWIN, burned and
bruised
While the occupants OF the burning build
ings were struggling with the smoke and
flames in the hope of forcing their way to
safety the fremen, who were responding 20
the alarm. were vainy waiting for freight
train which blocked the way of the fire
engine, to move away from the crossing
and give an open road to the fire. Mar
shall Driscoll, in charge of the firemen,
called to the conductor and brakemen u
move the train, but they refused TO comply
with his request. The police were sent for
and the crew was arrested. Then, under
orders of the fire marshal, the train was
backed from the crossing, but by the time
the firemen reached the burning building
the structure had been destroyed. Scat
tered among the embers were found the
oharred remains of the victims. The bodies
were burned beyond recognition and were
identified in various ways.
The train crew, who lives at Elkhart,
Ind. are being held without bail awaiting
the verdict of the coroners inquest.
The origin of the fire is unknown. The
building was an old one, built of wood, and
burned so rapidly that all avenues of es-
cape by stairways were cut off before the
occupants were aware of the fire.
officials of the Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern Railway, on whose tracks the
train is said to have blocked the firemen.
declare that they have evidence that the
blocking lasted but a few minutes and that
the members of the train crew did every
thing I'm their power to make way for the
fire engines. Conductor Brown, who was
arrested, claims one of the firemen un-
coupled the ar-brakes without turning the
angle-cock setting the brakes and that the
engineer was unable to move the train un-
til the pipes were filled again and the
brakes released. After an investigation by
the police officials. the train crew was re-
leased on bonds tonight.
The fire was fraught with an incident Of
the most distressing character. The little
two-year-old daughter of Christensen, who
lived on the third floor. was terribly burned.
her left arm and her face being roasted
Her father. follower of DR.. Dowie, re-
fused to allow the little one to have medi-
cal attention, and fought desperately when
she was taken from him. He clung to the
burned arm of the child. and part of the
flesh was torn from the member When
Hndlly the pohCe ioISeu hith 10 give up the
little one, he cursed them and prayed that
they might be punished for subJecting his
child TO the worldly science OF medicine.
The father was knocked down by some per-
son i'm the crowd and barely escaped lynch
| ing. He was arrested.
Persons living in the vicinity OF the build
ing were to-day inclined TO connect the dis
aster with a warfare that had been waged
between the Zook and Cooley families for
several days. This trouble led 10 fierce
fight between Zook and Cooley, on Satur-
day night Cooley was severely beaten and
he has announced that he would apply on
Monday morning for warrant for Zook' :
arrest. The Cooks lived i'm the front nat
on the second floor. The Cooley's lived on
the floor above.