The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-04-29
Awful Tragedy Of Yesterdays Early
Morning Fire.
THE HORRORS OF THE HOLOCAUST.
Father, Mother and Children Perished
Together in Their Room.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE STILL A MYSTERY
Negro Boy Arrested, but Asserts his
lnnocence--Flanes Went Through
the Building Like Flash.

In the are that occurred at o'clock yes
terdny morning at the corner OF Milan
street and Capitol avenue. report OF
which appeared In The Post. II was not
developed at the time The Post went TO
press that several lives had been lost, but
such was the terrible revelation when mo
flames sufficiently subsidized to permit Of a
search, and when SIX bodies, composing
an entire family, were removed from the
debris.
Sergeant Job Coppin well known sal
walton Army worker, and his family,
wife and three children, ono babe Just
born, and an unknown negro boy, wore
burned TO death.
negro boy nnmed Monroe Red was ar
rested soon after daylight charged, upon
an affidavit sworn out by $. L. Nichols,
with setting fire to the building. lie bad
been working for Mr, William Kennedy.
who was keeping a lnundry wagon in the
lower part Of tho burned building, which
was also used for blacksmith and repair
shop.
The unfortunate family lived In an mp.
per room, and when found were all lying
close together. II is supposed that they
wore sunocatcd by the smoke, which pre-.
vented them from escaping or calling for
holp in time to be rescued from their ter
rblc fate.
The alarm was turned in ct 8 a. m. from
box 40. at the corner Of Louisiana street
and Careo avenue. The ire department
responded promptly hut found the build
Ing. an old frame corrugated iron covered
structure wrapped in namcs on their ar
rlynl. 1t was literally scething mass OF
flames md. as there was no sign of onS
one inside Of tue burning building needing
their help, and the adjoining buildings
wore threatened with destruction th'S
gave their attention to the task OF pre-
venting the flames from spreading in
genernl connagrauon after they had p'gl
to die down III the burning building
~
buildings, most OF them light structures
bullr of lnAamnahlc material, aud shower
q, sharks were Tying in every direction
Sharks caught ia some of these adlaeeh
buildings aud II was With great dihieou
that the FIRE wils controlled and prevonte
from spreading through the ne'shberhooJ
crowd of people were frightened irol
their homes Hundreds Of others lolhe
them and whom, at daylight, the fumo
eprcad that family had been burned u
the excitement became intense.
when told that there had been famil
living in the building the frcmen made nv
way into the ruins and IN little rool
on the second floor about the middle of IN
building found one OF the most horrih
sights that had ever met their eyes. ihri
lay the man aud his wife, their bod''
scorched and churred In places, their as
children lying near them IN similar co..
dition, and. awful beyond expression II
mother, who was lying across her husband
feet, had given birth to Il child In Il
throes of death. The hodies We're rcmE'
to Ross & Wright's undertaking cstahlis
ment aud word was sent to their flieui
of their terrible fate.
The cause OF the Are could not he assoc
tanned, but Il Is believed TO be the wu
OF an lncendlary.
~
The funeral will take place today at
a, M. the services at the undertaken,
Ross & Wrlghts, corner OF Travis sire
and RuaA avenue. 1olut services win
held, conducted by Captain Hesseharth Al
other officers Of the salvation Army, d