The Washington times., 1907-07-29
MepD York Tenement
in Sn1olderi1g
Rains.
Fre-Escape Panic and
CoqUardice of
Men.

NEW YORK. July 29.-The ''Black
Hand" was responsible, according 10
italian detectives. for a tenement house
fire early today in which nineteen per-
sons lost their lives and about thirty
were moro or less seriously injured.
Today's fire was in the six-story tene-
ment at 222 Christie street It is pos
sible that the list of dead may exceed
nineteen. the police fearing that more
bodies may be found in the ruins, and
of the thirty injured. several VIII proba-
bly, die.
Cowardice of Men.
The blaze was characterized by ter
rife panic in which men. maddened with
fear, trampled on women and children
and pushed several from ladders and
fire escapes in their own efforts 10 reach
safety
The fire. starting with an explosion
in the basement. swept from top to bot
tom OF the six-story structure so quick
" the tenants had no opportunity TO
escape down the stairways. and were
driven 70 the fire escapes. The flames.
bursting through the windows, swept
even these place OF refuge. forcing the
occupants either 70 dash back into the
burning building or drop to death on
the pavement
Neighbors Did Not Help.
Fearing the vengeance Of the "Black
Hand" few Of the residents IN the
vicinity raised p hand 70 aid those
In the burning tenement.
There was delay. too. in turning In an
alarm. and the panic made 1t almost
/ o. "a M
20 do effective work
It was necessary to knock down sew
eral men who persisted in trying to
rush down the ladders. leaving women
and children to their fate.
! One mother. certain her children had
! perished. preferred death to rescue. rnd
! leaped from a sixth story frescape
with the hremen only a few feet away.
and was dashed to death by her fail.
Explosion of Bomb7
/ William Brandt. who gave the first
alarm, was passing through Christie
street in front of the tenement. when
a terrific explosion, supposedly Of
I bomb, blew out the entire front of
NicaIo Dimaco's grocery store on the
| ground floor. and dashed Brandt from
his feet.
The entire neighborhOod was awak-
! ened by the explosion. Instantly the
head OF every family within hearing
seemed to begin firing his revolver.
! Thinking they had thus given warn
| ing that their homes were guarded.
! the authors Of the fusillade retired TO
their rooms and closed and locked the
/ doors.
Driven Back by Flames.
The italian tenants rushed into the
halls, but were instantly driven back
/ by the flames. The families on the first
and second floors are believed to have
! escaped in safety, but those above
had no such chance They stood In
| clusters on the frescapes. the men in
| places OF vantage, fighting back their
own wives and children, that they
might have a better chance of rescue.
Women and children began leaping
from upper story windows even be-
fore the first fire engine reached the
| scene.
| A few were able to limp away, but
most of them were unable to rise and
were lifted into ambulances and taken
to hospitals.
Dead Not Identified.
| None Of the dead nave yet been ident-
! flied The list as given out by the fire
department is as follows:
! Charred body, sex unknown.
| Nine-year-old girl.
| Child of ten. sex unknown.
Girl OF eight
| Girl OF six.
| BOy Of ten
Woman of thirty.
1 Boy Of five
| Boy of three.
! Man of thirty-fve
| Woman Of thirty.
Child. one month old, sex unknown
! Girl OF eighteen.
! Man Of thirty.
| Man Of forty-five.
! Woman, body charred.
Man found on third floor. burned be-
/ yond RECON ton.
! Woman OF twenty-five.
| Girl of ten. burned beyond recognition.
Rescues Were Rapid,
II the tenants of the burned building
behaved with exceptional cowardIce the
| firemen and policemen appeared TO un-
usual advantage. The rescuers them
selves were licked by the flames as they
worked. ReScues were effected with
| remarkable rapidity.
The building was reduced to a smolder-
| ing heap in an hour, but such was the
! heat that IL has been as yet impossible
TO make a thorough search for more
bodies.
! ed with patients. and many had to lie
| in the street.
italian detectives were rushed to the
scene They report positively that the
fire was of incendiary origin, adding
that many Of the tenants of the build
ing have been terrorized by the BLACK
The tenement has long been known