The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-03-24
PLYMOUTH
WOMAN IS
A VICTIM
MRS JOHN HOUGHTON I'M
POVERISHE,D BY SIG
FIRE AT POCKFORD
ILL, LAST WEEK.
Moved TO Rockford from Ply
mouth-Entire Belongings
Destroyed by Fire ! asst
Saturday.

Mrs. John w. Houg g''ton. for
merly o t!i,s city, wa, the vic
Tim OF Dad fire, which occurred
ait Rockford. ILL.,. on last Satur-
day night, when all OF her be-
longings including What money
she had saved were destroyed.
flrs. Houghton had apartments
III fat building in he city and
had roolnerS. The escape from
death, of the tenants was very
close. Mrs. Hougllton left Ply
mouth four years ago. moving to
Rockford. Before leaving Ply
mouth, with her two adopted
daughters. Mrs. Hougllton occu-
pied the residence now occupied
by the family OF John B. Bowel
on Laporte street. Mr.. Houghton
died few years ago, and was a
resident OF prominence The fol-
lowing account OF the disasterous
fire at Rockford, is in the Regis
ter-Gazette concerning the loss
to Mrs. Houghton<
Families Have Close Call.
Occupants of the third floor of
the Groneman building had the
closest call 10 death by suffoca-
ton and as it was they escaped in
very scant attire. The top floor
of this building was occupied by
Mrs. John w. Houghton and her
10 year old daughter, Miss Gene
We've. Mrs. Houghton, VINO lost
her husband a number OF years
ago, did dressnlaking and also
some painting for a living. As
roomers in her apartments she
had young couple, Mr. and Mrs
Brown. anl c. p. Schei, carpen-
ter employed by John Melee,
and his two bright and handsome
little children girl and boy,
who were left motherless by the
death of their parent { year ago.
Mrs. Hougbton has been caring
for the children with all the ten
derness of mothe-, for Mr.
Schei while he has been at work
Late Saturday afternoon she
bathed them anil was preparing
to dress them thar they might
accompany their father to Beloit
to spend Sunday.
Miss Houghton hau been i'll
with the grip and was about the
apartment in her night garment
About O'Clock she glanced out
OF the back window and saw
volume OF smoke and men run
ming about excitedly in the alley
She screamed to her mother,
who quickly opened the door
leading to the hallway and found
it dark and filled with smoke.
Gathering the two Schei children
and telling her own daughter to
follow her anil without waiting
to look for her purse. which con-
tanned Si1 in money or new $15
fur coat, she started down the
back stairs. On the second floor
she stopped long enough to give
the alarm to Mrs. Lewis, who
was in a rear room with her five
weeks old baby. Mrs. Lewis ex-
perienced some difficulty in get
ting the door open but finally sue
ceeded AMI escaped with her child
safely. Reaching the ground Mrs.
Houghton with her daughter
took the Schei children. half clad.
to the Chick restaurant. ABOUT
that time Mr.. Schei who lad left
the apartment to purchase some
thing reached the alley. crazed
with fear that his little ones were
still in the burning building.
When excitedly told by Mrs
Houghton that she had brought
them out with her and that they
were safe, Mr.. Sclrei, who is
strong man physically, fell in a
dead faint.
Eater Mrs. Houghton and
daughter and Mr.. Schei and his
children. who lost their all. came
to the Register-Gazette editorial
room to get away from the
crowd. Major Jardine was hunted
up in crowd that filled the
street and ordered an officer to
accompany the burned-out peo-
pie to the Chick house, sending
word to the hotel to see that they
were we'll cared for and send the
bill to him.
Mrs. Houghton is a member
of tile Eastern Star, her late hus-
|ban1 having been a Knights
Templar. She had some fine
paintings in her rooms and esti-
mates her loss at $4,000 with no
insurance. She says she usually
deposits her money in the bank,
but was busy Saturday and failed
to do so. Her pocketbook was
found on the floor in her apart
ments Sunday but some mlcreant
l-l-