Evening star., 1944-12-25
Death Of -Four
In Fire Blamed
On Cigarette
Flames Kill Father,
Mother, z Children;
Two Others Perish
Pictures on Page Az

stuffed living room chair was ad-
vanced by officials today as the
cause of the blaze which claimed
the lives of Mr.. and Mrs. j. William
De Witt Moore and their two young
est children early yesterday while
they slep in their home at 6ls Sheri-
dan street NV.
Two more deaths as a result oi
fires were recorded during the day
Gordon c. Smith, 4-month-old sor
of Mr.. and Mrs. John j. Smith, jr.
9703 Bristol avenue, Silver Spring
and John Jones, so, colored, livins
In a shack in the rear of 1107 Coco
Hope road Sc, were the othel
victims.
Coroner A. Magruder Macdonald
said preliminary investigation in
dicated that either Mr. Moore or his
wife. Lettie, both of whom were
smokers, inadvertently dropped the
cigarette into the upholstery
shortly before retiring for the night
The smoldering chair later broke
out in flames when famed by
drafts in the house caused by opened
inside doors, it is believed.
: Shortly after 1915 am. Doris
stoll, Is, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Stoll. next-door neighbors
was awakened by dense fumes pour
ing in from the blazing building.
The girl Immediately called firemen.
Sons Turn in Alarm.
Meanwhile, the two eldest Moore
children, De Witt Clinton, Is, and
William, IA, were returning from a
newspaper substation several blocks
away where they worked every Sat-
urday night inserting the comic and
feature sections of the Sunday pa
per. When the boys turned the cor
ner and saw their home in flames
William raced to a firebox a block
away and turned in an alarm. Clin-
ton reused neighbors, who put in
the second call to firemen.
The flames were so fierce by the
time engine and truck companie.
responded that it was some time
before flremen could enter the house
and drag out the victims Mr.
Moore, 40, an employe Of the Capita
Transit Co.; Mrs. Moore, "a, ane
their daughter, Marjorie, 9, were il
q second-fioor back bedroom. Bobby
IL, was lying on his bed in tn,
front room, clad only in pair ol
shorts.
Mr. Moore was lying on the f1ool
beside Marjorie, where he apparently
had dropped her as he tried to get
her to safety His wife was still
lying on the bed. All were pro-
nounced dead on arrival at the hos
pitals to which they were removed.
Doctors said the deaths were due
to asphyxiation and burns.
Family Cat Killed.
The two-story brick house was
gutted by the flames, which spread
to the back yard, killing the familys
black cat and destroying Christ
mas tree which was to have been
set up later in the day. Charred
toys which were to have been Christ
mas gifts for the children were
found in the house.
The two eldest boys were taken
to the Receiving Home for Boys
and later neighbor, Mrs. Maude
Dentz, $40 Roxboro place NV, took
the boys to her home for Christmas.
Students at Paul Junior High
School, the boys tearfully embraced
at the Sixth Police Precinct where
they had been taken shortly after
the fire and vowed they would
stick together from now on, no mat
ter what"
Later yesterday brother of Mrs
Moore had the four bodies removed
from the morgue to Lees Funeral
Home, Fourth street and Massachu-
setts avenue NE. Funeral arrange
ments have not been completed.
Meanwhile, neighbors were doing
everything possible to aid the Or
phan boys. Offers of clothing
shelter and financial aid were nu-
merous as the neighborhood opened
It's heart in sympathy.
Telephoning details of the firt
from the home of neighbor, J. o
Lehman, GIG Sheridan street NV.
a reporter noticed gifts in the living
room for "Margie" and Bobby"
Mr. Lehman, who has two boys
In the service, said the presents con.
tanned games and wagon for the
two youngest Moore children. 81
was going to bring the presents over
to their house later in the morning,
Mr.. Lehman said. The kids were
great favorites of mine" he said
II don't know what to do with the
toys now"
Silver Spring fremen said the
blaze at the Smith home occurred
while Mrs. Smith was washing
clothes in the basement. They sale
the father, a Washington fireman
stationed at No. II Engine Company
Wisconsin avenue and Warren street
NV, had gone to the Woodsidt
Methodist Church with another son
Jack.
Neighbor Attempted Rescue.
According to fremen, Frank E
Fitzpatrick, who lives next door al
s70l Bristol avenue, saw flames ir
the bedroom of the Smith home
They said Mr.. Fitzpatrick ran inte
the basement to notify Mrs Smith
while his daughter, Mrs. William
Hewitt, attempted to rescue the
baby.
Mrs. Hewitt was overcome by
smoke, however, and was carried
outside by her father, who then re.
entered the house and carried out
the infant, firemen said.
The mother and baby were taker
by the Silver Spring Rescue Squac
to the Washington Sanitarium, ir
Takoma Park, where the child dice
soon afterward.
Both Silver Spring police and fire.
men were unable to determine the
cause of the fire, which caused only
slight damage to the house before
being extinguished by the Fire De.