The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-03-26
TWELVE ARE KNOWN TO BE
DEAD AND TWO OTHERS ARE
STILL MISSING.
TRAPPED IN BUILDING
Flames Started by Benzine Explosion
Spread Rapidly Through Upper
Floors, Cutting OF All Escape for
Helpless Employees OF Fish Furniture
Coneern-Coroner's Jury Called.

Chicago, March 25.-Twelvc persons
missing as the result Of a fire which
almost completely destroyed the Fish
furniture building In this city TINS
morning The missing are believed TO
be dead The victims Of the flames
were caught on the upper floors OF
the building with little opportunity To
escape from the fire which started
from an explosion of benzne being
used to fill picket cigar lighters.
Search of the. wreckage for the re-
mining bodies of those who lost their
lives In the fire was discontinued be-
cause of the danger Of tottering walls.
but not until u dead had been recov-
used to fiji pocket cigar lighters.
While earlier estimates placed the
number of victims trapped on the
fourth and fifth floors of the building
at 20. later and more thorough investi-
cation indicates that there were but
lG. Two of these escaped. which
leaves but two more to be accounted
for. as II bodies had been recovered
when the search had to be abandoned.
II tnts WullS are SUN StdnuIHs III tHt
morning. the work of removing the
debris will he resumed.
4 coroners jury which was i'm
panc.ed this afternoon, viewed the
bodies at the morgue. but the inquest
was postponed until April 2 Leo
Stoeekel. clerk of the Fish COM
pany. who is said to have started the
fire. told his story. to Fire Attorney
Frank Hogan this afternoon. Al
though Stoeckel. who IL but 20 years
old. IL admittedly more unfortunate
than culpable Attorney Hogan says
he will bring some charge against the
young man to insure his attendance
at the inquest. Stoeckel was brought
before the fire attorney. with his
hand. which had been burned. swathed
In bandages. He appeared heartbrok-
IN and told his story with difficulty.
An Explosion.
About S:45 o'clock this morning.
Stocked s.aid. "Mr. Mitchell. who is n
member of the firm. gave me three
pocket cigar lighters and told me to
go to the fourth floor and fiji them
with benzine. | had filed .two of the
lighters out of the five-gallon can and
was working on the third when there
was an explosion.
"A sheet of flame almost blinded
me- | did not fully regain my senses
until I had reached the street Th'
lighters contained contrlvance t.
make spark. but whether | ignitet
one of them. don't know either
dropped the can OF benzine when tn,
flame shot In front OF me or II wa.
blown out of my hands,
Following Is u list of the ldentlfie,
dead:
Darlington. Harry, aged 40: painter
Anderson. Ethel, aged Is. stenogra
pher: Bell Miner W.. advertisinI
manager. Brunke. Rosie aged II, ste
nographer: Burden. Mrs. Hannah
aged 30. widow, forewoman folding de
partme1t; Sullivan. Lillian, aged II
folder: Green, william. aged "a, clerk
Lichtenstoin. Ethel. aged is, stenogra
: pher; Mitchell Harry. NJ, auditor q
company. member of firm. brother In
law Of Simon Fish; McGrath, V. age
Is. stenographer; Quinn, Gertrud,
aged 30, folder.
The missing. Wargo. Mary. age
20. folder: st. Clair, Bert, aged q
confidential clerk
Three others, whose names could nc
be learned. are also reported mlssin,