The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-06
Burning Of Cole House
Points to Burglary.
MONEY WAS GONE
Mr.. J. T. Cole, three Of Whose Children
Died in Flames, Convinced that
Robbery was Done Before His
House Was Burned Yester-
day. Subscription for
Stricken Family.

Mr.. j. T. Cole, spinner at the
Caraleigh mills. near Raleigh whose
three children Minnie, aged eleven,
Myrtle, aged eight and Flossie, aged
six years, persisted so pitifully in the
fire which destroyed his home in the
Caraieigh village early yesterday
morning. is firmly convinced that the
burning of his house and the conse-
quent death of the children, was the
result or robbery, followed by ar
son.
In support of this, belief is the loss
of fifty-four dollars and some change,
which Mir. Cole says was in the pocket
of his trousers when he retired on
Monday night.
When he and his wife were awak-
ened by the smoke in their room
MIR. Cole sprang from his bed and first
reached for his clothes, which he
had placed on n chair by the bed.
They were gone! AS he rushed in his
underclotheS into the hall, he found,
picked up and carried out his trouS-
ers, but, owing TO the excitement of
the fire and his grief and frantic eff
forts to save his imperilled children,
he did not discover the loss of the
money until hours afer the fire had
burned itself out
He does not remotely believe in
the theory that was advanced that
the pocket book might have been
dropped in the house and destroyed
or lost outside in the excitement
since he at once pulled on the trous-
ers and since a minute search of the
ruins of the house conducted Dy
Deputy Sheriff Patterson and his as
sistants has failed to discover any
trace either of the several silver dol
lars which We're in the purse, or the
metal clasp of the purse itself.
which point with great force to the
theory of robbery and arson with its
horrible sequel there is as yet nc
clue to the guilty parties, nor is any
one so far suspected.
The whole heart-rending tragedy
seems apt to remain a mystery.
Details OF the Fire.
The Cole house was two-story
building of a combination of brick
and frame work. the ground floor be-
ing briclxed and the upper weather
boarded.
Monday the family consisted of
seven people, Mr.. and Mrs. j. L. Cole
their son Gowan, fourteen years old
three little girls, Minnie, Myrtle and
Flossie and an infant child today
there remain of this family, only the
stricken parents, the boy Gowan
terribly burned, and the baby, who
alone amid the wreck of the home is
still unconscious and unawed.
MIR and Cole retired on Monday
night shortly before twelve o'clock
and went at once to sleep. Theil
room was on the ground floor, at tbs
southwest corner of the house, an
the four larger children occupied ths
room Immediately above them. Al
an early hour in the morning, While !;
was vet dark, Mrs. Cole was awak!
ened to a sense that the house was
afire. Already the room was full OF
smoke and through the open door to
the hall cleaned the light and came
the sound of cracking flames. Mrs.
Cole instantly aroused her husband
and. without waiting for an instant
the mother seized the baby and the
two rushed for the open air. AS they
reached the front door. they found II
swinging open, an additional circum-
stance tending to show that the house
had been entered by burglars, Mr.
Cole being confident hat he hac
locked the door before going TO bed
No sooner had the wife and BABY
reached the front of the house than