Fire originating in the room of their 4-year-old daughter
Ruth, destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Sheppard at
117 East Twenty-seventh street shortly before 9:30 o'clock
last evening.
When Mrs. Sheppard went into the room
of her daughter shortly after 9 o'clock she was driven
back by the flames which had been pent up in the small
space. The origin of the fire is a mystery and while
there are indications that incendiaries started it, no
trace of those perpetrating the crime has been discovered
by the police.
As quickly as was possible Mr. Sheppard
telephoned to the fire department, but for some reason no
reply to the frantic calls was received.
Officer Mojonnier, who happened to be
passing the house at the time of the fire, turned in an
alarm. A quick response was made to the call and two
streams were soon playing on the burning building.
Soon after the hose had been connected
to the nearest hydrant, both lines were cut by a car which
happened along at an inauspicious moment.
The firemen who were placed to guard
the hose say they shouted at the motorman of the car which
cut the line and that the man paid no attention whatever
to their outcries. The men were placed with lanterns
to keep street cars from running across the hose, but in
spite of that precaution, the motorman refused to heed the
signal and shouts of the guards and deliberately ran
across the line. |
The firemen redoubled their efforts and soon had another
line of hose reaching to the fire. A few moments
after the connection had been made a second time, the
hydrant broke, but fortunately the firemen had the fire
under control.
The house and contents were destroyed
and only a few valuables which the occupants had been able
to carry out were saved.
Sheppard is a waiter employed in the
Palace restaurant and had built from his savings the house
which was destroyed. He placed the value of the
house and contents at $2200. of which $1000 was covered by
insurance.
Sheppard's statement in regard to the
fire is as follows:
"I was in the parlor with my wife
and family and we had just prepared my little daughter for
bed. My wife accompanied her to the room and when she
opened the door she was staggered by a blinding burst of
flame and smoke which issued.
"Hearing her cries I rushed into
the room, but before I arrived at the scene of the fire I
met my wife carrying my daughter. I assisted them
out of the house and attempted to give the alarm over the
phone, but could not reach the fire department. Before
I could reach another telephone some one else gave the
alarm. |