The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-11-11

the u year old son left. This was at
Y O'clock Tuesday night: The kitchen
door was open and access to the door
from the table could be gained without
passing the range.
Because the owner of the house that
Nj. Hunt wished to rent was Ill with
grip. he and Mrs. Hunt stayed with
the sick man longer than they had In
tended. at 8 clock they returned 10
ind their home In flames and the roof
and upper story cayed in and the
neighboring Italians out OF sight.
Wher notified the. Italiana refused
to give the unfortunate Hunt family
any assistance during the burning OF
the house. contenting themselves with
feeling satisfied that their own shant.
was not In danger. The foreigners
claimed that they were absolutely un-
aware that there was a fire until after
the house was destroyed.
As the Italian gang lived but 50 feet
away from the burned house, Mr..
Hunt thinks they would have seen the
blaze or heard the Screams OF the chill
dren. But the entire band say they
knew nothing about the FIRE until the
ground floor was Quilted. .@
The authorities got busy at once and
are still working on the case. They
secured long coke rakes with 20.foot
handles and assisted in getting the
children out OF the debris. The bodies
were burnt to crisp, the skull Of one
being crushed and the heads oil the;
other three severed. One Of the heads
has not been recovered as yet "
Mr.. Hunt had the bodies Of the four
children. Alice, age IL c. e., ,Jr., age
5; Opal May, age 8. and Thelma La.
verna, age q, taken to an undertaking
establishment, where they were put
In three caskets and brought to Fair.
mont for burial The caskets arrived
here yesterday at 4: 40 o'clock in the
afternoon accompanied by the grief
stricken parents. Undertaken Frank
Jenkins took them to his rooms on
the East Side, where they remained
until 10 o'clock this morning, when
they were taken into the First NJ. P.
Church for final services.
The bodies could not be seen on &C.
count Of the fcharred condition OF the
trunks, and therefore the services
were held over closed baskets. Rev.
L. 3. oldakerf and Rev. J. B. Work.
man officiated at the services and
hundreds Of sympathizing friends and
relatives lined the pews in the church.
The grief-stricken parents went
through the ordeal of the funeral ser.
vices with great calm, considering
thei rterrtble loss. They were, how.
ever. compelled to give vent to their
feelings throughout the performance
Of the last sad rites. One, the largest,
casket was taken to the cemetery in
a hearse and the two remaining cas-.
kets, which were about three feet
long each, were taken in Undertaken
Jenkins' auto delivery. The process.
Bion left the church at II o'clock and
went to Maple Grove Cemetery, where
interment was made. rs FL 2 :
Thus far six out seven children OF
the distressed parents have been taken
from them. Three years ago they
lost two children while residing in
Fairmont. lss t{sf 3
Mr.. Hunt and family lived in Fair.
mont until three years ago, when they
moved to Austen. where the father
was empolyed In the coal mines. While
living here he worked at; the Higgin.
botham bakery on the East Side and
resided at 1903 Ferry street.