Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-09
lNCEND|ARY FIRES { IN NEW YORK Thousands of People Forced to flee For Their Lives and There Were
 Many Thrilling Escapes
ONLY ONE FATALITY
Five Fires in Two Blocks Star,ed in Two Hours Between Mid
 night and Two O'clock.

New York, Nov 9.-One woman is dead, man is in hospital suffering from severe burns, 1000 persons fled from their homes in panic and thou sands more passed sleepless night, as result of series of incendiary fires in the two blocks bounded by Sixtieth and Sixty-tirst and Columbus and West End avenues, early to-day. Scores of persons whose lives were endangered were rescued by llremen. Many of the rescues were of a highly sensational order and were witnessed by the thousands who crowded the streets around the burning buildings. h all there were five fires, every one of them incendiary, between mid night and.3 o'clock this morning.
 The woman who lost her life was Mrs Caroline Swain. 70 years old She lived at TOT West Sixtieth street, adjoining one of the buildings which was fired. She died of heart failure induced by fright.
 Adrian Tompkins, 40 years old, of 110 West Sixtieth street, is in q hos pital with his hands and feet severely burned as result of climbing down red hot fire escape. He is in seri- O,is condition.
 The rapidly succeeding fires. the crowds of eyicted tenant, and the terrifying rumors spread through the neighborhood, with the constant ap- pearance and re-appearance of the fire engines, and the big, squads of police raised the people Throughout the vicinity to a high pitch of excite ment. which did not lessen until day light brought a measure of assurance that the incendiarism was stopped for while, The excitement spread even to Broadway, and in the Marie Antoinette. Ansonia, Empire and other big hotels in the neighborhood of Lincoln square. the guests were aroused by the contnglon of fear and many. remained up for the rest of the morning. discussing the situation. Tn the St Paul hotel. at the southeast corner of Sixtyfirst street and Colum- bus avenue. and the Hotel Hudson, at Sixty-second street. both close to the fires, all the guests were aroused, and few slept any more.
 All the houses where the fires oc- cured were flat houses. Three of them were occupied by whites and two of them by negroes. Most of the tenants were in bed when the fires broke out, and escaped to the streets in the scantiest clothing.
 The first fire was fin a five story tanap,apt hnnca af JAE ylro.t Otwxt~kh street. occupied by five families, all of which escaped. Mrs Caroline Swain. the woman whose death was induced by fright. lived in the ad- J joining house and hsd been taken by her daughter to window in prepara- ton for flight when she collapsed and died
 The firemen were still fighting that ire when sthe second blaze began it 137 West Sixtieth street in lot of rubbish in the basement. All the tenants escaped.
 At the third fire at 215 West Six tieth street there were several nar- row escapes and daring rescues of the tenants.
 An hour later the fourth fire was discovered block north at 249 West Sixty-first street. It was quickly ex- unguished.
 The fifth and worst of the fires was discovered at ITO West lSixty-first street at 2 a. m.. while the street was still thronged with frightened people. | There were twenty apartments fin the | building. and the escape of the oc- cupents of the upper floors was cut | lon by blaze in the lower hall The | tenants were SO dazed that they were in danger of losing their lives when | policemen and firemen went up on | the fire escapes and brought them | down. Adrian Tompkins. who lived | on the top floor. fingered so long that | he was painfully burned while climb fng down the fire escape.
 In each case the hremen quickly stopped the progress of the flames. The Iozs was about s2o.0oo.
 Prank Morris of Boston. a vaude- vile performer. was arrested on sys- pirion of setting the fres The police aliege that in each of the fires ten- snfs reported thaf when they fed their apartments Morris was the first person they met
 Morris. who is shout 20 years old. said fhss he vss fo-rerlv a nevsbov in FsIl River. but had been in Bos- ton lately
 Later voung Morris said that his home is sf 1sa Earr'son svenue. Bos- fon. and that his fsther is William Morris. a eomposifor on the Boston sDerican.