Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-10-30
HAVE NO THOUGHT OF ESCAPE
THEIR ONLY DESIRE is THAT
THEIR CHARGES MAY BE
RESCUED.
AT POST TILL LAST
MOTHER SUPERIOR IS AMONG
THOSE WHO PERISH IN
THE FLAMES.

San Antonio, Tex, Oct. SO.-Sacri-
ficing their lives to rescue the 81
orphan children in their charge, six
sisters of charity perished in a fire
that destroyed St. Johns Orphanage
today. One baby fell to its death with
Mary Of the Cross, mother superior
of the institution, who left her place
of safety in a vain effort to save the
child. Another orphan is missing and
it is feared it did not escape.
Flames broke out in the building
early this morning. Reused from their
sleep, the nuns marshalled their
charges to fire escapes, remaining at
their posts until flames barred the
way to safety. Two of the sisters,
Kostka Farrell anu Monica Montez,
were killed by Jumping.
Three sisters escaped. Instructed
to pilot the first column Of frightened
children out Of danger, they gained
the ground in time to escape the
crash of falling walls. The children
owe their lives TO the daring and self
sacrifice of the nuns. While attaches
Of the orphanage hospital hurried to
the burning building and uasns,1
through bursts of flame to help in the
rescue work, yet many of the orphans
would have been cremated in the DOR
mitories if the nuns had not braved
the first outburst of fire and piloted
them to places of safe egress.
The dead are:
MOTHER MARY OF THE CROSS,
who was mother superior of the asy-
lum. She was Mary Roster, a native
of Wexford. Ireland
MOTHER FRANCES PASTEUR. a
native of France.
SISTER PETER CLEAR sTEVlN,
teacher in San Fernando school, 4 ma
tive Of Dublin, Ireland
SISTER LEACADiA NOLAN, teach
er in San Fernando school, a native
of Dublin, Ireland.
SISTER MONICA MoNTEz, a ma
tive of Mexico.
SISTER MARY K0sTkA FAR
RELL. native of Kaldar, Ireland.
CHARLES MATHL0W. orphan,
aged 8.
The injured are:
Miss A. Detemple, an employe,
native of Germany.
Miss p. standish. an employe.
Superior Showed Great Courage.
The fires origin is not yet known.
The death of mother superior, Mary
Of the Cross, was the seuel to a demo-
onstration of remarkable courage.
She returned to the burning dormi-
tory when she heard the cry OF q
child who had been overlooked in the
hurry and excitement A few NOM
ents later she appeared at window
in the front of the building with the
babe in her arms. Fire Chief Wright
attempted to save her but failed. A
ladder was placed against the un-
steady wall and the chief scaled it,
but before he reached her, the moth
er superior, with the child fell back
into the flames.
Sister Kostka, in jumping from the
fourth floor window to reach a life
net evidently lost her balanace. Hee
body struck the railing on the second
story. Sister Monica Montez lost her
life BY jumping After the children
had been piloted to the fire escape
on the west side Of the blazing build
ing, she returned to take last look
in the dormitory. Her escape was cut
off but she made her way to the east
side where firemen stood below with
the net spread. She leaped, but
missed the net. Death was instantaT-
eous. Mother Frances Pastuer ana
Sisters Peter Clear Stevin and Lea