The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-11-08
SIX SISTERS BURN TO DEATH
IN ST. JOHNS ORPHAN HOME AT
san ANTONIO.
Two Little Orphans Also PerIsh-5y
Heroic Fight All But Two OF
Children Rescued.

San Antonio, TeX-FightinS heroi-
caIly and unselfishly to save the or
phan tots in their charge, six Sisters
of Charity sacrificed their lives Wed,
nesday morning in fire which com.
pletely destroyed the St Johns Or
phan home on West Houston street.
The Santa Rosa hospital adjoining.
in which there were more than five
hundred patients In the wardrooms,
was for a time threatened, but tireieSs
efforts on the part of the firemen
saved this building and possible
more terribly fatal fire.
While six of the sisters went to
their death in the seething flames, so
successful were their efforts that only
two of their tiny charges met like
fate, although the building contained
eighty.seven children ranging in age
from to Il years.
Only three sisters were saved and
they left the building by jumping into
life nets only after it was certain every
child had been rescued.
Those who went to their death did
so as a result Of exhaustion from
! fighting their way through the smoke
and flames to bring children from the
interior to windows and throw them
| into lift nets
The dead are:
Mother Mary of the Cross, who was
mother superior of the orphanage'
Her name was Mary Rossiter OF WeX'
ford, Ireland,
Sister Peter Clayersteyin, teacher IN
San Fernando school, native Of Dub
lin, Ireland.
Sister Leacadia Nolan, teacher in
San Fernando school, native OF Dub
lin, Ireland.
Sister Monica Montez, native OF
Mexico.
Sister Mary Kostka Farrell, native
of Kildare, Ireland. Her back was
broken in jumping from window and
she died in the Santa Rosa hospital
Charles Mothi0w, 3 years old.
Mother Frances Pasteur, native of
France.
Another orphan is reported missing.
The seriously injured are:
Miss A. de Temple an employe, ma
tive of Germany, body bruised and
slightly burned.
Miss Estanish, native of Schleswig,
an employee, body and limbs badly
bruised and burned.
The two latter, physicians report
nay recover.
The death of the mother superior
of Mary of the Cross was an example
of great heroism and courage seldom
equaled. Just as she was preparing
to leave the burning building she
heard the means of a child which had
been overlooked. Despite the fact
that she seemed to be facing certain
death she returned to the building
| ~ LEV iuOiiClto laLCl oiiS appSai Ou IL
the glare of the flames at window
with the child in her arms. With hel
fast-ebbing strength she managed tC
cast the child out into lift net and
then staggered back and fell.
Sister Monaco Montez also lost hel
life in jumping from the fire escape
on the building. AS the children
were taken down the fire escape or
the west side of the building she re
turned to take a last look at the dormi
tory. Her return was cut off by g
burst of flame into the place. Mex
she made her way to the east side
where the firemen stood below witt
the net spread. She leaped, but miss
ed the life net.
Her limbs and body were broken il
; numerous places and death was in
stantaneous Mother Frances Pasteu
and Sisters Peter Claver Stevin ant
Leacadia Nolan were unable to es
cape from the building, and thei
charred bodies were found later.
Fire Chief Wright, one of the frs
On the scene after the alarm had beef
sounded, declared the work of tn
sisters was all that saved the eighty
seven little tots.