Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-03-08
AGED PARALY7|C
BURNED TO DEATH
Ramon Martinez
Victim of Horrible
Accident
OF LAMP
Caused Fire From Which
HELPLESS Victim Could Not
Save Himself.

With his daughter sleeping in al
adjoining room, Ramon Martinez,
veteran of the Indian and Civi
wars and lifelong resident of Santf
Fe was burned to death early thi'
morning in an adobe in the rear O
the opera house on Galisteo Street
When discovered, the body of the un
fortunate man, who was a helples!
paralytic, was lying in the shoulder
ing ruins of his bed, literally cooked
the bed having been entirely con
sumed.
Smoke Led to Discovery.
Martinez, together with his daugh
ter, lived in one of half dozen small
adobes. 1t had two rooms. the father
occupying the one and the daughter
the other. This morning about $50
o'clock Francisco de Bias, six-year
old boy, who was playing near lht
Martinez adobe saw clouds of smoke
pouring through the cracks in the dool
and from under the caves. He rar
and told his mother, Mrs. De Bios, who
came and, finding the door unlocked
pushed it open.
Greeted BY Horrible Spectacle.
1t was horrifying spectacle tha'
greeted the woman's gaze. Lying in
a pile of burning embers was the body
of Martinez, while flames We're fas;
destroying the furniture in the room
The woman ran screaming into tht
| yard calling for assistance and hei
cries brought Miguel Martinez a
nephew of the dead man and others
who Immediately commenced tc
queneh the flames by means of buck.
ct of water. They soon had the fire
out.
Officers Notified Of Tragedy.
After the flames had been quenched
word was sent to Justice of the Peace
Jose Ma. Garcia and Chief-of-Police
McHughes, and they arrived within a
flew minutes. Judge Garcia ordered
that the body be left alone until he
could summon coroner's jury to in.
vestigate the causes leading up to the
unfortunate mans death.
1t took about half an hour to get q
jury 1t was composed of Louis Lo
witzki Juan Olivas, James Spiver
Jose Topia, Francisco Conklin and D.
M. Hoover. After viewing the re.
mains and making thorough investi.
cation of the premises, the jury re-
turned verdict that the deceased
came to his death as the result of
being burned by fire which started
from the accidental overturning of a
lamp. presumably by the defendant.
Was Entirely Helpless.
Martinez had been for several years
entirely helpless, being unable to get
about without assistance, owing to his
limbs being paralyzed. From the DO.
sition of the body and the surround.
lngs 1T was evident that the aged man
had retired last night leaving a lamp
burning on a small table beside the
bed.
Knocked Over Lamp.
In trying to get out of bed this
morning 1t is presumed that Martinez
accidentally upset this lamp, which
fell upon the bed, the oil at once set.
ting fire to the bed clothes. This sun.
position Is confirmed by the presence
IN the ruins and to one side of the
body OF an overturned lamp. Being help
less 1t was impossible for the uufor-
tnnate man to get out of reach of the
flames, which soon overcame him
him.
Hands Burned OF.
1t was evident that he had inhaled
the flames, as his tongue was burned
TO a crisp and his hair and beard were
burned. Both hands were also burned
off, while his left foot was badly
charred. His clothing was not entire.
" consumed which indicated that the
bedding did not offer sufficient fuel to
entirely cremate the body.
Uttered No Outcry.
Although several families lived
within a few steps of the room in
which Martinez met his DEATH all ties.
tilted at the coroner's inquest that
they heard no sounds whatever and
1t is very likely that he inhaled the
flames almost Immediately after the
blaze had started. this causing death
within few minutes.
Ignorant Of Fathers Death.
Maria Martinez, a daughter, who
was asleep in the adjoining room did
not know OF tire terrible fate that
had befallen her father until two
lours afterwards. While her room
adjoined his, it was separated by a
thick adobe wall and there was no
direct communication between the
two rooms, 1t being necessary to go
outside in order to get into her faith
er's apartments. Not until after the
flames had been quenched and the
body turned over to Undertaken Heb
erer Of the Wagner Undertaking Com
pany, did she hear that her father
was dead. She was grief stricken
when the news was broken to her.
An Old Soldier.
MartiAez was about 20 years of
age and a veteran Of the Civil and
Indian Wars. He had been life long
resident Of this city and was the
father Of Policeman Camille Martinez,
who was shot to death year ago In