Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-05-28
A Man and Woman Perish in a
Boarding House at Gram
iteville.
SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED
Fire Shut or Escape and Inmates
Obliged to Jump from Windows
Bazs Started in Room OF the
Dead Man Who Is Alleged to
Have Been Drinking.

Barre, May 25.-In a holocaust al Gran
itovile early this morning two persons,
Miss Odena Morissettc, aged IL years,
and Peter Martin. aged - years were
burned to DEATH several others were in
Jured and the more than two score of
boarders in the lIangdon block barely es-
capped with their lives.
The Charr.d bones of Miss Morisscttes
body were found this forenoon on the
springs of the bed in the bottom of tho
cellar The body of Martin was rccoV-
cred this afternoon, the thigh bone and
a shoulder blade being all that remained.
The buildings burned include the large
three-story boarding house. a residence
and two barns, all the property of cX-
Mayor James NJ Boutwell, of Montpelier.
The property loss Will amount To $lN,UOO
covered by an insurance Of only $500
The cause of the fire is not known and
probably never will be explained as it
started in the room of the unfortunate
man who lost his life. Martin was not
seen after he retired last evening at .
O'Clock. 1t was claimed by some that he
had been drinking during the day. The
lamp which he had in his room was cX-
tinguished at the time he retired.
The one who discovered the fire was
Edward Donahue. who roomod in the
room adjoining Martins. Donahuc was
awakened at three o'clock by the suffocat-
ing smoke and flames which poured into
his bedroom. Without waiting to put on
his clothing Donahue rushed into the hall
way and began calling TO arouse the other
inmates of the house. The flames had
gained considerable Roadway before being
discovered and there was no time to save
any of the property OF even to snatch
any clothing. The inmates rushed fran
tically from their rooms, clad only in
their night clothing, some being able to
get out of the house by means of the
doors, Others being compelled to jump
from the windows.
It was impossible to get near the
room occupied by Martin rs that part
Of tho building was mass of flames. All
those able to run or jump got out with
the exception of two young girls who
roomed on the third floor. Their exit was
cut off by the flames and they ran to the
window and called frantically for help
Parties went out searching for ladders
but none could he found long enough to
reach to the window where the two girls
were the flames all the while drawing
nearer
Finally blanket was stretched below
the window. and the girls were told TO
iump Tho younger of the two. Miss
Nicholson, climbed to the window sill and
lcapcd toward the blanket. Had the
blanket been held securely she would have
escaped all injury. But her weight strik-
ing the blanket caused it To slip through
the hands Of those who were holding 1t,
and the girl struck heavily on the ground
and may have received fatal injuries.
Then the blanket was held second
time for the second girl Miss MoriScttc.
She prepared to climb out of the window
to Jump also However, she looked down
at the distance she had to jump ana Tell
back swooniug on the bed. 1t was i'm
possible to reach her, although many
efforts were made.
While this attempt was being made to