South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-17
Charred Body of FOur-Year-
Old Girl CIaSping Doll Found
on Stairs of New York Tene-
ment BY Fire Fighters.
TWO ARE ARRESTED; TO
TESTIFY BEFORE CORONER
Fire CHIEF kentOn Declares
Neglect Was Criminal -
Panic Among ROOmerS Cause
Of Many Deaths.

NEW YORK, April 17.-Eleven per-
sons, three OF them women and one a
fOuT-yedT-Old girl. lost their lives and
five others were probably fatally burn
I'd in a fire which swept through a fur
nished room house at E41 Eighth av.
today. The cOnfiagratiOn was attend
I'd by many thrilling rescues.
The most pathetic feature OF the
tragedy was the burning of a little girl
four years old. She had evidently fed
from her parents room on one of the
upper floors. for the little body, clad
only in night gown. was found on
the stairs leading from the fourth floor.
The little one clasped a doll tightly in
her arms and when the fire-fighters
lifted the blackened. charred body
they did so tenderly and saw to it that
the doll was not disturbed.
The little girl was finally identified
as Muriel Davis, whose mother Mrs.
George G. Davis. also lost her life.
Starts in Basement.
The fire started among some excel
siOr in the basement Of a five and ten
cent store which occupied the first
floor OF the building, and before those
on the upper floors were aroused their
exit had been cut Off
The only victims that had been iden-
1ined Up to $50 o'clock were Mr.. and
Mrs Edward Wallace, Mrs. Anna
Spencer and James Messer. At that
hour FIVE were unidentified.
Martin Welsh. Charles Burke. an
unidentified woman and an unidenti-
fed man We're taken to the hospital in
critical condition. Fire chief Kenton,
who led the fire-hghters in person.
declared that the fire was the result of
criminal negligence. As "A result Of
this charge. Mr.. and Mrs. Edward
F,mkes. who conducted a rOoming
house business in the four upper floors.
~. TnTr
station and detained as witnesses for
the inquest before Coroner Healy.
Panic Cause OF Deaths.
Most OF the victims owed their death
tO the fact that in their panic they
ran TO the front Of the building where
there were no fire escapes. If they
had sought the rear they could have
descended on the fire escaps which
ere constructed on that side of the
building.
Mrs Nellie Daley. Ernest Kimban
and Frank Lewis. "A vaudeville team.
owed their lives TO the fact that they
Dad been enjoying a late supper and
arrived home just half an hour before
the fire broke out.
ONE KILLED IN CLEVELAND.
CLEVELAND. O.. April 17.-One
woman. Miss Bess MahOney. 50. was
killed. and a score OF persons hurt i'm
81 fire which practically destroyed a
aoOming house in r. Sixth st. early this
anorning and drove a hundred or more
persons into the street. The blaze
dad eaten its way from the first floor
10 the roof OF the old three-story brick
building before it was discovered and
snany persons jumped into a court at
the north side OF the building
Miss Mahoney was among those who
sought safety by the hazard of leap-
Ing She was picked up moaning and
unconscious I'm the court and hurried
10 hospital, but died in the arms of
6 man who had volunteered his aid.
The fire is believed 10 have origi-
mated from an Overheated hue