Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-08
UNDER DEBRIS AND ALIVE
Men Buried by Collapse Of New York
Building in Perilous Position,
ONE OF THEM TALKS TO RESCUE GANG
He IL Given stimulant ana COHee
Through Rubber Tube-Priest
Hears Confession and
Gives AbsOlution.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE search for the
three fremen who went down with the
ruins when Hills paper house was burned
last night was suddenly halted tonight as
the sound of some one rapping on a timber
from within the debris was heard. A voice
from beneath the charred pile, recognized
as that of John seufert was family audible.
Suefert said. II am alive and so is Camp
bell. We can't see anything. The debris
is all about us. Get us out as quickly as
you can"
The nremen redoubled their efforts until
warned that over eagerness might defeat
their purpose. More coutionsly they pro-
c. eded.
The men were caught among the timbers
about midway between the second and
third floors, when the five stories building
went down. The third man, Thomas Len
non, was probably Instantly killed. His
body was found buried in tangle Of de-
bris and could not be released until tons
of timber and steel had been cleared away.
At that time IL was not believed possible
that the other two men had survived:
The work of the diggers was perilous as
the walls in the rear of the building con-
tinually sagged. For several hours 1t was
necessary to stop the digging until braclng
timbers were put It.
Two WOmtn fubneu IIfH fTe NiltS at ubWh
today, Both were sdbbing Historically.
They were controlled with difficulty, both
wanting to rush into-' the still burning
building and search for their husbands.
Men GO Down with Floors.
Lennon Campbell and Seufert, all MEM
beers of Engine No 80. with ]. ]. Quinn
were on the fourth floor, when the floors
buckled in from all corners The men in
the center of the floor were carried down
with the falling tlmbers, Quinn was half
burned in bricks and timber but was re-
moved with difficulty. When he regained
consciousness, Quinn cried out Where Is
Dan Campbell" Dan, Dan, where are
your" Here's Campbell No. 81" The
voice was faint and far down under the
debris. Quinn recognized II and urged the
other firemen to the rescue. Battalion
Chief Duffy was badly injured in trying to
dig down to the man.. Battalion Chief
OConner was overcome by smoke.
Then 1t became evident that every man
who was working to rescue the three i'm
prisoned was in danger of death.
Acting Chief Binns ordered them out of
the building.
When the fire was under control 1t was
found that Firemen Thomas Lennon,
Daniel j. Campbell and John seufert were
N
begun, but ii was soon believed positively
that all were dead Hours afterwards
Lemons body was found. and then it was
that the startling communication from Seu-
fert was recognized Nv -
Priests Grant Abs0Iution.
AS quickly as possible after Seuferts
voice was heard an ambulance was called.
rubber tube with funnel arrangement
was inserted into hole In the debris and
lowered so that Setifert could apply his
mouth to it. Through this he was given a
stimulant and Afterwards some hot coffee
seufert then said he could await unti his
rescuers got him out Father Rafferty, of
St James church and Father Smith, fire
| department chaplain, %were Called to the
building soon after fSetffert's voice was
heard. Through the ttibe the buried fire.
man made his act of contrition and was
given absolution. The confession, with the
qucs lions of the priest and the answers
of the desperately situated man took about
ten minutes during which the rescuers
stood with bowed heads. In spite Of the
hopes of resculng the man, the situation
was so bad that the priest deemed II fitting
| TO hear Seufert'S confession.
Work on the debris then was resumed.
Fire Commissioner Lantry also had a talk
with the greman. Seufert told the COM
missioner he thought Campbell was lying
eight or ten feet away, but he had heard
nothing from him since they were over
whelmed in the falling floors Sunday night.
| The rescuers went on with their work,
but it is q delicate and dangerous task,