New-York tribune., 1922-12-13
Fire Kills 3 as
Mother Seeks
Holiday Gifts
Children Are Perishing in
Blaze Started From Gas
light When Mrs. MCGOWAN
Returns From Shopping
Boy, 5, Fails to Save Baby
Father Finds Tragedy in Lit
tie East Side Home Upon
His Arrival From Work

with Christmas only tEo weeks
away. Mrs. Charlotte MCGOWAN, who
lives with her three children at 24i
East Twenty-fourth Street slipped out
Of the house yesterday afternoon to do
a little secret shopping. She returned
less than an hour later 10 hnd her
home In flames and on the floor OF
the little parlor the burned and suf-
focated bodies Of her babies. All three
children died half hour later at
Bellevue Hospital.
Joseph MeGowAn, her husband, came
home to his supper at $3.50 o'clock
from the nearby Edison plant, where
he Is employed. He knew nothing oil
the tragedy until the neighbors showed
him the smoke.stained and water be-
draepled rooms, and the burned bed
room where the fro started from an
open gas Jet.
The children were Joseph IT,, i've
years old; Rose, three. and Anna the
seven-months-old baby. When Mrs
McGowan left the house Anna was In
her baby carriage in the kitchen and
tho other two we're with her there. IN
the bedroom, which Is mic1le room
and poorly lighted, the mother leit lhe
gas Jet burning, confident that u WAS
beyond the reach Of the children.
Exactly what happened no one nov nov
alive knows. The hremen, observing
the track Of the flames. report that ap-
parently Joseph was playing with the
two little girls and had taken the eaoy
into the bedroom from the kite eheh'
Somehow the boy yielded 70 the iasei,
nation Of the blazing gaslight ana
N some way stsrted IRE when
caught in his clothing and spreaa 70
Fl, the bed and the clothing OF the otheI
children. Then, II seems, seeking 20 20
ave his baby sister, he caught hsr ~
his arms and ran with her TO the front
room. where his body was founn. tno
Youngest child still in her brother
embrace. Rose was lying on the hooI
few feet way, apparently having .1i' 10.
lowed her brother in terror from 'he
burning bedroom. H.. q
This was what Mrs. McGowan foa 9
when she returned from her shoppihs
Screaming and hysterieal, she gathersee
the baby IN her arms and ran TO th'
roof where she shouted for help
Neighbors ran 10 her assistance ane %
took her 10 the street, where a passlni
tsxI chauffeur volunteered TO take mel
IN Bellevue. Headed BY DR.. Hymen
the Bellevue staff made heroic ehorti
10 save the lives Of the burned and sur
located youngsters, but II was too iAte
Fjremen from Engine Company 10
IN Fast Twenty-hfth Street, responded
10 an alarm turned in by Patrolmai
BARCLAY Darcy, Of the East Twenty.
second Street station. They kept tn'
ere within the MCGOWAN apartment
and the material damage was trining'
Mrs. McGowan told Darcy tnat sn,
had gone shopping and had also visited
her brother-in-laW at 6o6 Second ave
nue. she had been absent less than az
hour. she said, and had asked an Older
child Of one Of the neighbors TO looI
sftsr her family while she WIS away
search for this temporary gunrolAf
last night. however. was without re,
anti and none Of the neighborhooe
children would admit knowledge OF any ~,
undertaking to look after the ht'''
&C