The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-03-27
FROM A WALTZ
To DEATH MARCH
DIHGE AND MOURNING
,o.Iov SUNDAY MORNING
SOCIAL FUNCTION.
SIX PEOPLE PERISH
Former Attorney General ana "he
and Four Others Burn TO Dea'h
in san Antonio Country
Club Early sunday.

| StN lNtONlo, heN''
In a fire that completely consume"
the san Antonio Country ciub mousse
Yesterday morning the bodies OF SIN
verspps. five Of whom were prom"
,on, i, social and business circles oi
re,as were reduced almost to the
elements of the earth. me Victims
Of the flames were:
MRS. MACo STEWART of Calves
ten.
LANES ID. WALTHALL of san An
tonic.
MRS. JAMES d. wALTHAhL Of
san Antonio.
| upGE J. f. WEBB of San Anto-
MO.
HOMER JONES of San Antonio.
HELEN COCKRELL, maid of the
club.
/ In making their escape from the
building three persons were inlufed'
as follows:
Earl r.. Gafford, sprained ankle.
Mrs. Gafford. wrenched back.
Alfred Hilroye. steward, righs
hand badly cut.
The club house, large, handsome
structure. built at cost OF $50
o0e, and recently improved TO the eN-
tent of $4,000. was reduced to Gin
ders in an almost incredibly short
time, only the tall brick chimneys
remaining upright u distinguish the
place as the site of II structure OF
human abode. The contents of the
house, all of which were destroyed,
were valued at about $4,000. In
surance was carried in the sum OF
$500 The fire originated i'm a
collection of paint used for painting
a new grill stored in the basement,
and is believed to have been doe to
spontaneous combustion.
The bodies were burned beyond
recognition. All that remained
were charred bones, which were I'M
ear:hed in the cinders and ashes that
made the basement cavity resem,Hv
a huge incinerator. The names OF
The victims were first actertained
by accounting OF the inmates
who had escaped. Then positive
| identification OF the dismembereG
torsos was affected through the me-
dunn of anatomical characteristics
and dental markings, relatives and
dentists being called i'm TO make min
ute examination of the remains.
The fire broke out about 3 o'clock
yesterday morning, shortly after the
club house, brightly illuminated;
decorated in gala style, filled with
music, had been the scene Of merry
party and dance given by Mrs. j.
| Tar!eton Lapre!le of San Antonio.
| Hardly had the guests said good
night TO their hostess when the
J lights being eNtinguished in the
rooms as the inmates who had at
tended the festive function retired
one by one, Frank Lewis, one of the
departing guests, discovered the
| flames as he was about To drive
away in his automobile. With Al
| fred Hilroye. the steward, MIR. Lewis
rushed into the club house and
sounded the alarm. SO rapidly did
the flames spread, however, that
Only the inmates on the lower floors
could he aroused.
sir. Nalthail was formerly Attor-
ney Genera, OF Texas. His bride
was Miss May Carson of Indianapo-
lis, Ind
Judge j. Z. Webb, widely known
lawyer of san Antonio, was spend
ing the night at the clubhouse in
order that he might make an early
start yesterday morning on fish
ing trip 10 Medina dam. lie is sur
vived by Mrs. Webb and one son,
James +. Webb. Jr.
The remains of Helen Cockreu. a
maid al the clubhouse. We're the last
TO be found. Her eharred bones
were found far beneath the ashes
that filled the basement cavity.
Mr. and Mrs. Gaffcrd were injured
IN their jump from a gallery roof
on the second floor. They had Just
fallen asleep when the alarm was
given. Mis-. Gagford. half asleen.
did not realize the danger and had
Ia he forced oft the roof.
hiirofe, the steward. Was injured
IN leaning from window on the
thisd floor, which he had gained in
an effort to arouse the sleeping in