Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1884 — A HORRIBLE DEATH. [ARTICLE]

A HORRIBLE DEATH.

An Entire Family Cremated in a New York Tenement House. _ ■ k.-y - f New York Dispatch.] Afl re which broke out in the tbreo-story frame building, 326 Stanton stroct. caused the death of Cornelius Van Riper and hie family, consisting, of his wife and three children. Mr. Van Hiper and hi* three children were Mifioeated and burned to death. His wife, Beltecca Jmnpel from the third-story- window to the sidewalk and was instantly' killed. The cause of the fire is unkno-a n, 'I he tire «M d-scovered hy a policeman, who, after calling for assistance, kicked In the door and made a rush for the stairs, shouting at the top ot his voice to rouse the sleeping tenants. A confused jumble of shrieks and stamping overhead answered him. But tbe dense smoko drove him back Just as the door on the second floor was opened, and a young woman ran past him in her nightclothes. The policeman was compelled to seek the open air to save his own life. As he reached the street in a half-dozen desperate jumps he sprang over the prostrate body of Mrs. Rebecca Van Hirer. The fire was extinguished after two hours. When tbe firemen made their way to tbe rooms of tbe Van Rlpers, after the fire had been extinguished, a sickening sight awaited them. They found the entire family, save the mother, burned to death. Ihe family had evidently been half suffocated before they were aroused to find escape from an awful death cut off. The bodies were all found in different places, showing that tbe unfortunates rushed wildly and blindly around the rooms In their efforts to escape. In the rear room wag found Jennie, aged ID, with her nfgbt-clotheg burned off. Her arms and bands were terribly burned. The skin from the bands and 'arias of the'bo#/ Albert aged <v hung- itt shreds, and his left arm was raised across big face. He was found doubled up in a corner, and one side of big body was very badly burned. Frankey, aged 2. charred and blackened, was found near bis father’s body in tbe front room. The face and head of Van Riper presented a shocking appearance, the features being scarcely recognizable.