davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-17

poE4cARsENTER- STATES
POSITION ~ 70 RULING
Supreme Court Ruline psss Net Anset
psnaIty clausss Of sherman Act But
Had Only % 20 With What censti-
tutss Z Violatlen g. Basis Of centsn-
zion 81 Paelssrs' Counsel.

s2 Ed1c4S0e MAY 2I.-0Vo80 3oo1So a
Caxpsnter IN the United States dis.
trice tcour today refused to hear ora
Arguments from attorneys for the in.
dictsd chicaSo meat packers on thei'
plea Tor asrehsaring on the demurrer,
Judge sCafpsnter overruled May ~. HI
rave chem = week in which to nla
briefs.
Judge. .Carpsntsrs in hxing time fol
tho Ming ofths Aris6s took occasion to
tndicata MS position on the ruling od
ne Unftsd 9taksstsupreme court tha,
IL in no wise. .aRectsds the penalty
clauses, ofsthS ensrman act but had Ia
:: ~. .sgl,s vio-
aatipn,
\ I, 81 disposal sof thai point in.my opin-
ION on the demurrer.* said Judge Car
penter. .tl,at q 30 say, that the su-
prerno court must regard tho Shermaz
act a.. 6Ranal statute, and # It does
then bxEiving relief under the declining
sections and u. it necessarily must
have OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES I, 2sand8!s
Counsel for the baolcsrs are pro
FpaFed 20 argue in their bTiefRthat - q
% nscessary for s0me~ court OF f.eQuity
20 detessnine. IA each Individual case
aad by the merits and peculiar cir
curn1enneAG su1oundine sach case
wh1t of ftfadAhas.been
mn oaaonabla. then kho act does moi
pfovsda che. with any msana
of Knowing 4S6orehand whether what
n ,dasdoiuxsf9 unreesonable as viewed
~, the court, that hence. the law u
void. psnai sections and all. not thru
.asnupfsmec court decision but a. . vio-
lasion or tho NTH and sixth amsnd-
Ynents. to- the federal constitu0ons and
bSeenSo it IL suncertAfn.S &
4 lIAe ptamp Of the pan1tsrE40 demand Z
Sy G1aAE 0f = nSax1ng On 1tlso de-
Il i1a u iaasantt by 4ho
1naeai. tsaa9 1orcasney ah0 1oUoIn.
inSnt, ana 2l1ey ,slaes .1sosa uf -
day prepafing % meet such q scha5.
lenGe.
plea Of the Packers
\ shoktiy after 5 o'clock the-govern-
COPY OF the motion t0sgbe fled by the
packers,4his morning. II reads:
Now come; the defendants, J. Ogden
Armour. ArthuE szeeker. T. J. Ccnnors,
EdN1rd Tiiden, Iouia +. Swift. Ed
wards. 8wift, Cha1ies II. Swift Fran
cis n. Fowler, Edward Morris, and
Lewis 1Ieyman. and submit to the
court Z. COPY Of the opinion recently.
on Nay is. 1911. rendered by the su-
preme court OF the United States in
the case OF the. Standard Oil Company,
lately pending In said supreme court.
IN w7sSch opinion, az the defendants
are advised by counsel. the supreme
court. hassmad and announced certain
rulings upon the construction, and ap-
pllcation Of the Sherman act which
are inconsdstent.w with and cverrule the
ruling and decision OF this honorable
court upon the demurrers interposed
and. dled BY these defendants to the
respective indictments above entitled
end ths respective counts thereof. and
each ana every ono of them.
.'sWhereGore these Defendants move
the court, theepremises considered. to
lvacaxe tho respective orders hereto
fore entered overriding the satd de-
murrers and %, grant q rearsument Of
sa1d denprrers:thereon to sustain. the
demurrer
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-17
can,t ptedsoet : csvsrnsnsnt ponds,

Can't 0Adoet GovorNshone 80nd0.
Des Notnes. May 17.-Special Cot1n.
sci Leo IN, the office OF the attorney
general today ruled that government
bopds can not be deducted when re-
turning property for assessment under
the new lows law Tor taxation Of
moneys and crsditA
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-17
FILE INTERVENTION PETITION.

Pacific Express Company 'Entsrs 'Ex-
prsss Rate Cases.
Special to Times-Repubucan.
Des Adoines, May 1.-THE Pacific
Express Company today filed a petit
ton of Intervention in the express
rate cases which are pAnding in the
federal court and wilt>bo.. assigned for
hearing In q few days. Tho Paciflc
had not before come into the case but
had not put the rates into effect.
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-17

Conversation Under Me Sea.
4 About 10000, 900 words year pass
under the sea, through cables linking
British ana North American ports
Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-17
I ,'KIRlN IS DEVASTATED
Forty Thousand Homeless in Man.
ehuria ~ Result Of Firs-Loss Of
Nearly 1900 Buildings Amounting to
$2oooo,o 900.

Harbln. .ManchurIas May 17.-Forty
thousand persons at Kirin are home-
less as the result Of the connagration
In that city recently. The money loss
is estimated at 320,000;000. -Four thou
sand shops. fifteen banks, and 8,3S7
other buildings were destroyed.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
What Is Colonel Ewing Driving Az

Donaldsonyille Democrat: Col. Bob
Ewing, National Democratic com
mitteeman, ward boss" editor aud
proprietor of the New Orleans
States, Is waging hot, If not sue
eessful campaign, for former state
Superintendent OF Public Education
]. b. Aswell.
Few people believe that the fam
boyant educator has the ghost Of q
chance, whatever may be Colonel
Ewing's boasts,
The point Is: What Is Colonel Ew-
ing driving at2
A supporter Of Governor Sanders
for the Senate, so said, the States is
Is firing broadsides at Secretary OF
State Michel, whose candidacy is be-
ing supported by the governors
friends.
Without Michefa friends, the gov
ernor would be weak. Every broad
aide by the States nj Michel is n blow
at Sanders and the question is there
fore pertinent: What Is Colonel Ew-
ing driving at?
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
The Mexican Boil Weevil.

The Mar Rouge Democrat: The
battle with The Mexican boil weevil
Ii on right now. The old mother
flies have deposited eggs in 1.-THE
squares on cotton that will fall to
the ground and il let alone these
eggs will hatch out boil weeyils that
will later turn to flies, those flies
will 10y eggs in the newiy-formed
squares of cotton, and these newly
formed squares will fall on the
ground and In very few days there
will be millions OF weevils on the
cotton to destroy The cotton. There
Ii only one way that the farmers
can win the battle that is now on
and make crop of cotton, and that
one way Is commence now to pick
lip these fallen squares and destroy
them. One more thing must be done,
and that Ii sweep the cotton, rum
ming shallow To do IL. or run side
harrows around The cotton, once ey-
cry week until cotton commences to
open.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
PORT ARTHUR
HAS GREAT BLAZE
Two Barges and Warehouses
Are Destroyed.
TWO LIVES SNUFFED OUT
Captain Frank Weber OF the Hum
BILE and Another Man Are Blown
Into the Air and Killed 80 Result
OF Explosion.

An explosion which occurred on the
barge Humble In the harbor OF Port
Arthur, Tex, caused the. death OF
Captain Frank Weber of that vessel
and Sam Cicero, an Italian, and the
lnluring of several othels. The fire
rapidly spread TO the tug John Brady
and the barge Shenango and oil three
burned TO the waters edge.
Flames spread TO the two large
warehouses; OF the Texas company on
their island, and these, together with
over 500 feet of wharf, were soon u
mass OF ruins and other buildings
damaged Fiercely burned the fire
and heroic work was done by Texas
company employees and by hundreds
OF others to prevent further spread OF
the flames,
The Humble had taken over 1000
barrels of crude oil and was TO have
have taken her cargo TO Morgan City.
Explosion was heard number OF
miles.
A later report stated one of the YES.
sells was not destroyed, but badly dam.
aged. Property loss Is estimated at
1850, 600.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
LOVES WONDROUs WAY.
Woman Prefers Death to Being
Separated From Man.

II Is stated that Mrs. Ollie VIII.
iGms, who suicided In her rooming
house at Dallas, drinking carbolie
acid, did so when she found that she
might have TO give up the man upon
whom she lavished her affections
Back of the death also Is the story of
man. although he Is married and Is
the father of three little children, prac-
tically deserted his wife and children
to devote his attentions TO the woman
who ended her life in such tragic
manner.
She drained the bottle OF carbolic
acid Just as the man whom she killed
herself over was leaving the door to
the sidewalk. With the exclamation,
ut Is all over now she fell In the
hall. Appraised OF the woman's deed
the man hurried upstairs. As soon
rs possible two doctors were sum.
moned. but the woman was beyond hu.
man aid.
The man Is we'll known business
man OF Dallas and because OF his In.
iiuence the matter was kept quiet IN
I'll 1t leaked oht when the death certi.
iicate was filed. The man paid the
funeral expenses. The mourners con-
sisted of the man, who had lived for
nearly three years with the woman,
and her father and o brother, who went
to Dallas from town in northern
Texas.
II s needless to say that the rela-
tives of the young woman, who Was
not yet twenty. three years Of age, were
greatly shocked when they found she
had been living In Dallas for nearly
three years, vile In every way to this
well known business man. except In
name, as she had never been married
TO him.
| In order TO keep the matter rs Sc
cret as possible from her mother aud
Ave sisters Ii was decided TO bury the
remains IN Dallas cemetery.
OF course the womaa's real name is
not given and that OF the man Is with.
held. Both parties we're collegemates
at Texas educational institution aud
were sweethearts, but after graduating
drifting apart They met again at
Dallas, the man in the meanwhile hav-
ing marriad. and agreed to live the
lives they did. Fiually the man de-
cided II was best that they discontinue
their relations and the woman's sol
eide was the sequel.
A note was left by the woman re-.
questing that her remains be inferred
In Dallas,
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
NW]fs
THE BLUE JAYS WE'RE AFTER Mn.

south, east and west. and, so far as
boxing the compass was concerned.
those blamed bluejays could do It up
side down and backward They hit
me from every conceivable angle I'M
I'll, bowling with pain, | fell rather
than slid down that tree trunk and
disappeared In my mothers arms.
II all birds were as scrappy as blue
jays mothers would not need to teach
their boys to be thoughtful and to
protect the feathered songsters. But
they are not The meadow lark, with
her nest beneath gooseberry bush.
viii feign lameness and. with cries -of
distress. will limp away, enticing you
to pursue her from the vicinity of her
nest, but should you desire to despoil
It she will exhibit her sorrow merely
In cries of distress. And most birds
are inoffensive or nonretaliatory when
you rob their nests.
Hence boys must be taught to pro-
tect the nests and to love the birds.
The good women of this land who
think, who love home and nature and
all the things that are worth while
will be strong In their resolve never to
wear bird feathers upon their hats
and by this action influence more friv-
olous feminine creatures to follow
their example.
Do not argue that the bird upon the
hat is dead and you might as well buy
It and wear 1t as any woman. Rather
think that tho purchase of this bird
hat will give place for another like
1t. Tell the milliner you do not APP
prove of such hats trimmed with
feathers and bodies. She will take the
hint and quit buying trimmings of
this character. Don't let 1t be said of
you that "she wore a dead bird on her
hat"
When woman learns to control her
self even against her own pride, even
against her love for self decoration
and display, then 1t no longer win ba
profitable for hunters to kill birds for
milliners. Aigrets, that leave bird
to die OF slow and awful death, will
no longer be jauntily worn By women
who would have the world believe
they are innocent and pure and unds-
hled.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
ANOTHER SHOCK.
Earth Again Shaken at City of
San Francisco.

A heavy earthquake occurred Sat.
urday afternoon at POI O'Clock in the
afternoon, lasting ten seconds. II WAS
the heaviest since 1906, when the city
was partly destroyed.
Panics we're caused in downtown
cafes, where the lunch hour crowds
were congregated. Persons In stores
In the shopping districts fed from the
buildings.
First tremor was accompanied by
the deep booming reveberatioas which
usually mark disturbances of this
character, The movement was from
north to souths
II was impossible to secure tele.
phone service for while, rs operat
ors fed from the telephone exchanges.
Mechanics bonl building was dam
aged. Heavy stones In the cornice
we're thrown out of alignment, Com.
merclal and Pacific buildings were
slightly cracked. p,
AT Berkeley tho big clock Of the
university was stopped for the first
time since the quake of 1906
AT Carson, New, Federal court was
In session at the time, and Judge, jury,
attorneys and spectators rushed iron,
the courtroom.
A slight shock was felt at Reno,
New. At Fresno, Stockton and Oak.
land, Cal, the shock was felt, Az san
Jose, Cal, the shock was the heaviest
since 1906.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Double Tragedy.

Eight miles east of Greenville, Tex,
orbin Moore and Lee George were
shot TO death. Affair happened IN
the barn OF l.. +. Moore, father Of
Orbin Moore, all three residing In the
same house. Shots we're heard In the
barn and members OF the family ran
there, where both men were found In
pools of their own blood. Georges
body was found In the harness room
OF the barn with two bullethoies In
the heart, one In the mouth and one
thumb powder burned. Moore's body
was found In the hall of the barn, u
bullethole Ia the center of his fore
head and a pistol near by, He was
single. George was his sisters hus
band.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Money olfts Returned.

A popular desire throughout the
country to participate In President
and Mrs. Taft's silver wedding re-
suited In many letters being received
ut the white house containing silver
money, ranging from dime to dol
lar, ond In some cases other currency
has beeu sent. In courteous letters OF
regret the president has informed the
senders, In returning their gifts, that
he would be unable to acceptthe cash,
but he appreciates the spirit shown by
Che donors
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
SheriR's Sale.

No. fl,365-ln the First Judicial Dis
trict Court of Caddo Parish, La:
J. II. Dominick vs.. J. A. MeDur-
mond.
By virtue of writ Of seizure and
sale to mo directed from The Hon.
orable First Judicial District Court
Of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, in the
above numbered and entitled suit, |
have seized and will offer for sale at
public auction, for cash, without the
benefit OF appraisement, at the prin-
cipal front door Of the court house
of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, during
the legal hours Of sales, on
SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1911.
The southwest quarter of the south
east quarter of section 20, township
%, range Is. Caddo Parish, La, with
all the buildings and improvements
thereon. Said property seized as be-
longing to the above defendant, and
TO be sold for cash without the BEN
eft OF appraisement, TO pay and sat-
isfy the debt as specified in said
writ, say in the sum OF $500. to-
gether with 8 per cent per annum
interest from October IA, 1895. until
paid, and all costs of this suit, as
well as ten per cent on said princi-
pal and interest as attorneys fees.
]. P. FLOURNOY,
Sheriff, ex-Offlcio Auctioneer,
Caucasian, June 1, 1911.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
si1ceessinIi Nniicr,

No. I5,20l In First District Court,
Parish of Caddo, state of Louis
lana. Succession of Will Stevens
Notice is hereby given that +. A,
Leonard, administrator, has this day
filed his final account III said suc-
cession. and unless opposition be
made thereto within the time specl-
fed bv law the same will be duly
homoogated as prayed for.
Witness the Hon. +. w Su0herln.
Judge of said court, this 10th day of
June 1911. so. WILLIAMS,
June 10. Deputy CLERK.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
CLEMENT A. EVANS DIES.
Noted Confederate Crosses the
River of Death.

With several of his children at his
bedside General Clement A. Evans,
formerly commander Ia chief OF the
United Confederate Veterans, died at
his home in Atlanta, aged seventy
nine years. lie had been Ill for some
time, During the civil war he served
under Stonswall Jackson and Gordon,
and fought In principal battles IN
northern Virginia, attaining the rank
of brigadier general.
From early manhood the general
took IN interest in Georgia affairs,
Az the age of twenty six years he was
q state senator.
For twenty years he Metho
dist Clergyman.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Notice 10 Contractors.

Sealed proposals will be received
by Mre. A. L. Duringer, clerk Of the
Caddo Parish Police Jury, at her of
fee at Shreveport, La, up to July 1,
1911, for widening I'LL or emhank-
ment west OF iIosston, La, BLACK
bayou botlom) as follows: Estimate
1900 cubic yards To be build and ac-
eepied by parish engineer. 5
w. II. CRAWFORD, Pres.
A. Il. DURINGER, Clerk.
Caucasian, juno II, 1911.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04

Harry N. Atwood few from New
London, Conn, to New York city In
an aeroplane, half circled the Singer
building tower 525 feet from street,
passed Trinity church and new Bank
ers' Trust building, and although the
wind blew nearly twenty miles an
hour he baffled cross currents from
the criss-cross OF canyons and cliffs
OF lower Manhattan island and land
ed in safety. He travelled l22 miles
In three hours and twenty minutes.
He ran out of gasoline, otherwise
would have remained up longer
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
A MERE MANS
VIEWPOINT
Let's Save the Birds---Women
Should Head a Movement For
the More Effective Protection Of
Our Song Birds.
ny BYRON WILLIAMS.

ny BYRON WILLIAMS.
w WNCLE SAM has Us all on the
carpet He Is lecturing us,
~ especially women. He wants
the fair sex to exert Its In.
fiuenco against the determination OF
our birds. Three American game birds
already are extinct, and unless women
teach their boys to respect and pre-
serve the birds we will soon be with
out fourteen others.
In the movement now under way
three great associations have banded
together. They are the Wild Life Pro
tectlve association OF New York, the
National Association of Audubon So
cieties and The League of American
sportsmen. Women are especially up
pealed to and requested not TO wear
millinery bearing bird ornaments
Mothers are requested to begin n Hys
tematic effort to educate the boys of
the country away from desire TO
make collections of birds eggs or to
destroy birds whether in nest or full
grown.
The birds egg collection habit among
boys IL especially to be regretted. A
boy IL natural born collector. He
will collect anything from itch to to-
baceo tags, and he does his work thor
oughly. When he starts in to acquire
a collection of birds eggs he blots out
the life of at least one bird of all the
kinds of birds In his vicinity. And
the craze does not die out with the
generations Our grandfathers had
the collection habit, SO did our fa'
theirs, We now havesit. and our chill.
dren will follow the tendency. I recall
distinctly the time had the craze to
collect birds' eggs.
was getting along nicely and had
quite medley of eggs when one day
climbed tree In our yard to secure
bluejay's egg from newly made
nest That was one of the many mis-.
takes of my life. but because of the
many II has not been forgotten be-
cause as compared with some of the
others It stands out in bas-relief, like n
fat woman IN a polka dot. dress ut n
Shakers picnic.
The bluejay were after me, BY the
time / fully realized what had hit me
I had been attacked from the north,
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Aswell Tarred with the Same Brush

Louisiana Democrat: The ward
bosses seem to be divided between
Michel and Aswell in the ratio Of
10 TO 4. This IL the ratio at which
the free silverites used TO vehement
~ and voeiferously howl for the free
coinage OF silver. II Michel Is th,
candidate of The bosses, and no one
controverts the proposition, Aswell
Is also the candidate of boss. IT
this support discredits Michel and
renders him ineligible for the gov
ernorship, then Aswell is tarred with
the same brush of ineligibility on a
lesser scale. although his friends are
endeavoring 10 make a large sized
mountain out Of very small mile
hillp In charaeterizing him as "the
peoples candidate" II there is any
peoples candidate" IL is Judge Hall,
who has the distinguished honor of
being opposed By every one of the
seventeen ward bosses, as we'll as
the entire machinery of the ring,
with the game wardens thrown in as
lagniappe.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
WOMAN KILLS THIEF.
Negro Shot Down by a Lady at
Fort Worth.

Mrs. Il. 7. Goodwin OF Fort Worth,
wife OF railway mail clerk, on his
run at the time, heard some one tear
Ing away the fastenings on reat
screen. Waiting until he turned the
knob OF the door leeding to her room
she fred twice. At the time the lady
and her child, four years OF age, were
alone
Next morning the body of Negro
with bullethole through his heart
was found outside the door.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
AMENDMENT TO CHARTER
Or N. l.. Bath Company Limited.


A meeting Of the stockholders Of
M. l.. Bath Company Limited was
held this day, pursuant to a call OF
the board Of directors made March
/. 1911; notice Of said meeting hay
ing been previously given by pub
lication in the Caucasian for thirty
days. such notice being as follows:
Notice.
Pursuant to u resolution OF the
board Of directors, meeting OF the
stockholders Of The NJ. l.. Bath Com
pany Limited will be held Mt the Of
fee Of the company IN Shreveport,
La, on the 22nd day Of June 1911, ut
Il o'clock, for the purpose Of in
creasing The capital stock of the
company from Sl5,000.00 represented
by $50 shares, to S25,00000 repre-
scented by $50 shares,
NATHAN GOLDSTEIN, Sec.
Shreveport, La, May 10, 1911.
Meeting was called To order by M.
J.. Bath. president Nathan Gold
stein secretary.
Minutes OF meeting Of March l,
1911, read and approved.
The following stockholders were
present: NJ. l.. Bath, Nathan Gold
stein, Miss Bella Bath, representing
$50 shares.
Upon motion Of Nathan Goldstein,
duly seconded. it was resolved to in
crease the capital stock of the cor
peralion from fifteen thousand dol
lars (Sl5,00O.00) to twenty-five
thousand dollars 1925, 100000, which
was unanimously carried.
There being no further business,
the meeting adjourned.
n. G0LDSTEIN, Sec.
shreveport La, June ~, 1911.
| hereby certify the above to be a
true copy of the minutes of the
meeting of the stockholders Of the
NJ. l.. Bath Company Limited, held
'o''e 50 ''''' a.. ,>.,..
1r ''v ,.''' a ~ ~ 90, 80
'"fe'ei'oi = '''' ''''e $50 ''
state OF LOUISIANA PARISH Oh Tau
90; Before me, the Undersigned no
taff, ana attestlllg Witilesses' th's
day came Nathan Goldstein, secre-
I a L. 81 l. ,R,,
lary OF the M. l.. Bath company
Limited, VINO declared that the
ahoVe ana foregoing Is true anu
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
9e.u,t OF Civil, war Wound.

r. G. Poole, Bell county farmer
and Confederate veteran, during the
civil war was shot In ike right leg A
short time since eancerous trend
was indicated and surgeons amputat.
ed the limb below the knee
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Maat side Destroyed.

West side of the business section of
Fairfield, Tex, was destroyed by fire.
It started from an oil stove in tho
clothes cleaning establishment OF Carl
Griffith.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
over Three slocks surn.

Fire at Sherman, Tex, originating
In the pantry at the home OF Johti
Helm swept over three blocks, causing
q loss OF $50, 600. A stiff south wind
blew aud the fremen were almost
bclpless hafore 1T
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-07-04
Five Houses Burn.

Fire of unknown origin starting at
Fort Worth In the residence of Fred
Moore destroyed that structure and
four other dwellings, causing a loss
Of about slo, 600. The Moore family
was absent when the fire started.