Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-26
TWELVE BODIES ARE
RECOVERED FROM RUINS
Explosion OF Benzine Can Starts Con-
aagration and the Flames Spread
So Rapidly Persons on Upper
Floor Are Hemmed ln--Cries for
Help Heard by Spectators.


CHICAGO. HIS. March 25.-
Search of the wreckage Tor the re-
naming bodies of those who lost
their lives in the Fish Furniture Com
pany fire here today was discontinued
this afternoon, owing to danger from
lettering walls. but not until after
twelve of the dead had been recover
ed and eleven of them identified.
While the earlier estimates placed
the number OF victims trapped on the
fourth and fifth floors of the building
as high as twenty. later and more
thorough investigation indicates that .
there were sixteen. Two of these es-
capped. which leaves but two mere TO
be- accounted for.
The search was abandoned for the
day on the report Of Chief Building
Inspector Short. who declared that
three OF the walls were in n dangerous
condition.
coroners jury. which was i'm
panelled this afternoon. viewed the
bodies at the morgue. but the inquest
was postponed until April ..
Tell How il Started.
Leo Stocked, clerk OF the Fish
Company. who. by accident. Is said To
have started the fire. told his story TO
Fire Attorney Frank Hogan this at
ternoon. Stocked was brought be-
fore the fire attorney with his hands,
which had been burned. swathed IN
bandages. He appeared hartbroken.
About s45 a. m Stocked SAID,
an hA 10 ~
the firm. gave me three pocket cigar
lighters and told me to 90 TO the lin
ishing room on the fourth floor and
fiji them with benzine. had filled
two of the lighters out of the five
gallon can and was working on the
third when there was an explosion
"A heat of fame almost blinded me.
did not fully regain my senses I'M
Ill relched the street The lighters
contained a continuance to make n
spark. but whether / ignited one of
them or not ! don't know | either
dropped the can of benzine when tae
flame shot up in front of me, or it
was blown out of my hands"
Identified Bodies.
Following is a list OF the identified
dead:
DARLINGTON. HARRY. aged 40.
painter.
ANDERSON, ETHEL. age is. ste
nographer
BELL, MICHAEL, advertising man
ager.
BRUCKE, ROSIE, age II, steno-
grapher.
BURDEN. MRS. HANNAH, age 30,
widow. foreman folding department
SULLIVAN, LILLIAN. age IS,
folder.
GREEN. WILLIAM. age "a. clerk
ICHTENSTEIN. ETHEL, age Is,
stenographer
MITCHELL. HARRY, auditor OF the
company, member OF the firm and
brother-in-lsw of Simon Fish.
McGRATH. VERONICA. age II,
stenographer.
QUINN, GERTRUDE. age. 20. folder.
The missing:
WiARGO. MARY. age 20. folder.
STCLAIR. BERT, age %. confiden-
tiaI clerk.
Recognizes Sisters Shoe.
Three others. whose names could
not be learned. are also reported
among the missing. One OF the bodies
Was identified by Florence Sullivan
as that OF her sister Lillian. She SAID
she recognized shoe as one which
he'd been worn by her sister Florence.
who is Is years old and n switchboard
operator. might easily have shared
her sisters fate. She was to have
cone 70 work for the Fish Company
al neon. taking the place OF another
girl
Alexander Brsh. a street car con-
ductor. identified one q the bodies
as that OF Rosie Bruckc. whom be
was to have married on Easter sun
day. He recognized her through the
medium Of . number Of trinkets. in
Gliding an engagement ring he naa
given he.
Dies Trying 20 Save Others
One % the victims lost bis NE IN
a desperate endcavor TO rush up
stairs to the aid Of the women and
girls imprisoned above
Ten women and girls. u - said,