The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-03-05
Four Year Old Sister Fails
in Rescue Attempt and
Watches Fire, Which She
Started With Poker, Burn
Home to Ground.
MOTHER, AWAY, RUSHES
BACK TO SEE TRAGEDY

UdSfllng lIltO 6idLe-WdS
Making Coat for Baby
ViCtim-Men From Near
by Homes Arrive Too Late.
Her frantic mother and in
jured 4-year-old sister looking
on helpless, Margaret Hugan,
2, perished in flames which
consumed the one-room home
of Mr.. and Mrs. James j.
Hugan, in Liberty Gardens,
four miles southeast of Indian
apolis on Brookville Rd., this
morning.
Barbara Jean. the sister. tried 10
rescue Margaret when the fire
started. The fierce flames burned
her slightly and she rushed out. She
was screaming in the yard when the
mother rushed home from a neigh
boris, where she had been making a
coat for her youngest daughter. She
was slightly burned when she at
tempted to rush in to the baby. The
fire drove her back.
She stood and watched the
tragedy.
Barbara Jean said the fire started
when she put a hot poker in the
wood box while her mother was al
the home OF the neighbor, Mrs
Harvey Huntsinger.
Paper in the box caught fire.
Attempts Rescue
Although frightened at the sight
Of flames the child attempted to res
cue Margaret.
Ms garet, lying on a bed, crawlet
underneath a cot on the west side
of the room in an attempt TO escape
the blaze.
The modest one room home, bound
ed on the east by a thicket, and fur
nishings, was valued at about 81 900
: Rugan planned to build another
house soon.
Herman Warrenburg, Norman
Reeves. and John Hults. neighbors
discovered the flaming cottage about
the same time. Warrenburg run
ming to the scene passed the home
of Mrs. Hutsinger and informed Mrs
Hugan her home was afre.
: Tells Mother
"Your house is afire, Mrs. Hugan
Where Is the baby?" Warrenbure
said
"My God. the baby is on the
bed" she screamed.
WarTenburg, Reeves and Hults
fought with Mrs. Hugan to pre-
vent her from rushing into the
, fire.
II must get my baby" she cried.
J She became PROSTATE and was
J taken to Mrs. Hutsinger's home, but
fought to go back.
Smoke Handicapped neighbors in 10
eating the baby. Hults pulled a bee
, on the east side Of the room TO the
door and stripped 1t of bedclotheS
{ hoping the child was wrapped up in
them.
. Lieut.. Ralp Dean and Detectives
Colder and Gillespie rushed to the
scene in the police emrgncy and gave
first aid.
Coroner Paul F. Robinson ordered
the body brought to city morgue.
Police found the burned torso un
derneath the cot.
) Hugan, a Citizens Gas Company
meter setter, was notified and
} rushed home in a company car. Paul
/ Crosier, general superintendent, and
t Ralph Werin, service manager, Of
fered aid.
just Wants Baby
We've lost everything. but /
| wouldn't care IL I had my baby
back" said Mrs. Hugan.
"Where is Barbara Jean?
don't want to loose sight of her."
she said.
Caressing his wife Higan said:
"Dear! IL could not have been
helped"
DR.. John X. Kingsbury, Irviugton
was called for Mrs. Hugan, who was
hysterical.
"Sster wouldn't come out.
sobbed little Barbara Jean to friends
who crowded around the attractive
, child.
my teddy bear. dolly and baby
carriage are all gone. And we hav,
no house." she cried.
, 1T was a terrible thing and looks
almost unexplainable. But you cam
stop the hand of God" commented
Warrenburg.
Two flremen were injured fightinl
flames which did $4,000 damage thi
, morning to four-story apartment
building at 500 Middle Drive. Wood
. ruff Place, and the homo of Jane,