The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-24
CHARLES F. MURPHY
HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR BIG DISASTER
Prevented Appointment of
Labor Inspector. Says
Governor Suker
SIXTY-FlVE DEAD
LATEST ESTIMATE
Twenty-six Bodies Recovered.
Of Which Only Five Have
Been Identified--To Fix
Responsibility

BINGHAMTON. N. Y. July 23.-
After several estimates had been made
today ~ to the number OF lives lost
In the fire that nattened the Bingham
ton Clothing Factory's plant yester-
dead was increased to sixty-hve.
OF this number only flve have been
positively identified. Twenty-six
bodies have been recovered from the
ruins. All Of them were 80 charred
and MANNED that recognition was out
Of the question. Fourteen OF these
twenty-six ware picked up last night
after the blaze. They had hurled
themselves through sheets OF flame.
and landed clear of the wrecked
walls.
Dig for Bodies.
All day q gang Of old men. the only
ones Mayor Irving could muster for
the work. scooped bricks from the
spot where the building once stood.
One body was found in the morning.
Eleven more were recovered within
an hour In the late afternoon. They
were picked from a space about ten
by ten feet square. Ear rings were
found In the ears OF one corpse. and
by them Mrs. Mary Pryor. the hero
inc forewoman of the fourth floor,
was Identified. One arm was picked
up detached from the body. On the
little finger .wAM q smo2l diamond ring
that will identity It Tonight. how
ever, It has not been claimed. Two
bodies, or rather the trunks Of them.
were found on which were purses
One OF the purses contained a pho
tograph too much charred for tdenti-
ication by the naked eye. A strong
glass may bring out the lines OF the
face sufficiently to establish the iden-
tity Of the owner.
The other purse which went with a
headiess and fimbless trunk, con-
tanned three inexpensive rings. These
will undoubtedly prove sufficient for
the purpose of Identification. The
finding OF these purses clearly proved
what several OF the survivors have
testified, that a great many OF the
girls who had been working on the
fourth floor stopped on the third to
visit the locker room and obtain their
bonnets, street clothes. and valuables
1t WAS the loss of few minutes
caused by their stop that resulted In
their death. The girls who descended
immediately TO the street got there in
in safety. and in plenty Of time. But
they had not been In the open more
than two minutes when the blaze had
swept Hike a gust of stormy wind into
tho second floor and spread from end
to end. and wall TO wall.
Escape Out on.
When those who had gone to the
dressing room emerged at the head
OF the staircase they came face to face
with blanketing mass OF fame that
made descent impossible. Panic
stricken they dashed back to the
fourth floor. A few huddled onto the
one fire escape at the rear. but were
prevented from descending by the
bursting of long tongues OF fire from
lower windows. Even before these
could retreat into the building they
were scorched and fell, blocking the
escape. Those left inside went to the
windows at the front OF the big ma
chine room. but there was no escape
At that point. It was at this moment
that several either hurled themselves
into space, or were pushed by eager
ones behind. Ono OF the foremen
standing In the street was shouting
above the roar Of hre:
go back; take the escape at the
rear" SO quickly had flames belched
from alley windows that those at the
front OF tho building did not realize
escape by that route was already cut
on. A few moments later the roof
fell In; tho fourth floor then crashed
through to the third. and an instant
later side walls bulged out in the mid
die. ana the tops caved in to the CEN
ter Of the building.
When the spectators by this time
.driven $50 feet away by the intensity
OF the heat. got another glimpse OF
the factory II was completely raxed.
The wheels OF civic procedure began
today 1t Bingharnton. At 8 o'clock
seventy-flve men. decrepit, everyone
cf them. descended into the ruins and
began tn, long tack Of throwing out
tons OF brick.
Arrange for Inquest
Coroner Seyrnnre- OF Whitney PoaHt,
came to town and arranged for the
inquest tomorrow afternoon at 3:30
o'clock in the grand Jury room at the
County courthouse. Fire Chief Hoag
rot word from Deputy State Fire
Marshal Roesch that he Is coming to
Binghamton tomorrow to represent
state Fire Marshal shearn. and con-
duct q separate investigation. He
wants to know why II took tho Bing-
hamton Ere department twenty min
utes to respond to q IRE only half .
mile from the central station house.
Deputy Factory Inspector Nash.