The Washington herald., 1910-03-26

Chicago, March 25.-TweIve women and
three men lost their lives to-day in a fire
in L. Fish Furniture Company's store.
Nineteenth street and Wabash avenue.
Eleven bodies were recovered by the fire.
men. Seventeen persons were known to
have been on the fatal sixth floor. Only
Two are known 10 have been rescued.
Three are still unaccounted for. Their
bodies are being searched for in the
debris.
THE DEAD.
ETHEL LICHTsTEIN. twenty years old, Zsi
Peoria street: leaped from the sixth floor.
Mrs HANNAH BURDEN. thirty years old, TEen-
ty-third street and Cottage Grove avenue.
ETHEL ANDERSON. eighteen years Old, Wind
50 Para
ROSE BRUNsKIN. seyenteer years Old. slls Wau
street.
HENRY MITCHELL forty. auditor. hr0therin-
law Of sigInond Fish 49, Michigan avenus.
MINOR BELL. thirty-eight years cd. sdver-
tising manager, Thirty eighth street and ElwOOd
avenue.
BERT ST. CLAIR. tveuty-eight years Old. con
fdentiaI clerk
WILLIAM GEORGE. tweuty-foslr years old cleTk.
VERONICA. McGRATH. seventeen years Old
MARIE WARGO. twenty years cid.
Lillian SULLIVAN sixteen years Old
GERTRUDE QUINN, twenty years cd.
The Missing.
Three women employees
The first of the bodies was found shortly
after u:45 o'clock. After they had been
removed the search was continued for
the others. Soon the others. seven in
number were found in the southeast
corner on the sixth floor.
They were huddled together as IL each
victim was trying to keep the flames
from reaching the other. Two Of the
victims had died while kneeling, as IL
offering prayer before the flames reached
them.
me bodies we're not far from the front
windows This caused the firemen 10
believe that all the victims perished IN
a vain attempt to reach safety by means
OF the windows.
The bodies were so charred that the
police expected TO encounter difficulty in
establishing the identity Of the victims.
Their only hope was to identify jewelry
or pieces of wearing apparel that escaped
the flames The bodies were first
wrapped in blankets and were then tied
on planks. Ropes were fastened to either
end OF the planks and the bodies were
lowered. one at a time. from the front
windows TO the sidewalk. AS the first
body was swung from the windows a
~N14 Il - ek--
and a rush for the opposite side of the
street as made.
Four Women Faint.
Before the first body reached the side
walk four women tainted and were car
ried away. Similar scenes marked the
removal of every body. Eleven of them
we're burned 10 death on the sixth floor
of the building. They had been trapped
on the top floor. nearly 100 feet from the
ground. with no possible chance OF escape
and the flames roaring so furiously about
them that the firemen could not raise
ladders 10 90 10 their rescue
The twelfth victim, a girl twenty years
old, Jumped to escape the flames, but was
so badly injured when she struck an
awning on the Wabash avenue side OF the
building that she died soon after being
taken to St. Luke's Hospital
Minor ". Bell, one OF the department
managers Of the company, and H NJ
Mitchell, another OF the firm and broth
er-in-law of Isaac Fish, were burned TO
death They gave their lives TO save the
girls who were trapped by the flames.
Both of them were in places Of safety
when they heard the cries OF the girls on
the top floor. With no concern for them
selves, they ran up the burning stairways,
where they perished with the girls they
tried to save. The fire started from an
explosion at $50 o'clock. It burned for
three hours. threatening 20 spread to
other buildings before it was extinguished.
At 1870 the ruins had been sufficiently
cooled to permit of a search for the
bodies.
Leo Stocker. an employe OF the firm,
was arrested by Detective Horn in the
crowd OF spectators while the fire was in
At the station he was question
ed by Fire Attorney Hogan and Lieut..
Enright. he said that he was filling an
cigar lighter with alcohol on
the fourth floor The device was lighted
and ignited the fumes of a six-gallon tank
OF benzine near him, causing a terrific
explosion and starting the FIRE