Fire and Death
A House Burned and a Fireman Killed
Oneonta Herald & Democrat, Oneonta, NY, April 19, 1878
The Fire
At three o'clock, Monday morning an alarm was sounded from the railroad shops and promptly thereafter from the Methodist church bell, indicating a fire in the First Ward [Oneonta, Otsego Co. NY]. A house on Miller St. deeded by Rev. J.L. Wells to the Syracuse University and to be sold on mortgage that same day afternoon, was burning. The three companies of the Fire Department were promptly on hand. There being no water available, the Steamer and Hose were useless. The Hook and Ladder Company had an opportunity to save a building fourteen feet distant and they did it with success. Great credit is due the company and all who assisted them. The burning building had been empty for a long time and was entirely consumed. No insurance. Everything was cleared from the next house, occupied by Warren H. Brownson. This property sold under mortgage Monday, was insured for $1,000. The fire was of incendiary origin without any kind of doubt.
A Fireman Killed
Harrison White, a member of the Steamer Company, lives quite a distance from the thickly inhabited portion of the village. He did not reach the engine house in time to start with his company and with several others rode down to Fonda Avenue with L.A Bissell, where the Steamer was overtaken. Here Mr. White jumped form the wagon and received wounds which caused his death. As there are various reports and theories in relation to the accident, the nature of injuries, etc. we publish the Coroner's Inquisition and Examination kindly furnished by O.L. Wilber, Esq., who received the testimony:
Inquisition - State of New York, County O Otsego
Inquisition taken at Oneonta in the County of Otsego, N.Y. on the 16th day of April 1878 before A.D. Reynolds, one of the coroners of said county. Upon view of the body of Harrison White, then and there being, lying dead, upon the oath of Edson J. Stever Edward S. Bell, J.B. Cleaveland, J.B. Roberts, Parker Wilson, Samuel Bligh, Munro Westcott, good and lawful men of the said county, who being duly summoned and sworn to inquire into all the circumstances attending the death of the said Harrison White and by whom the same was produced and in what manner and when and where the said Harrison White came to his death, do say upon their oaths aforesaid that the deceased came to his death on the morning of the 15th day of April 1878 at the village of Oneonta in said County by attempting to jump from a wagon in rapid motion and accidentally falling thereunder [was] so bruised [that] within about four hours after the incident he died. And so said the jurors say that the deceased came to his death by accident and without blame attaching to any person or persons.
In witness whereof, as well the said Coroner as the Jurors aforesaid, have to this inquisition set their hands and seals on the day of the date hereof.
A.D. Reynolds, Coroner; Munro Westcott, Foreman; E.S. Bell, Edson J. Stever, J.B. Roberts, J.B. Cleaveland, Parker Wilson, S. Blight, Jurors.
Examination
Examination of witnesses produced, sworn and examined on the 15th day of April, at Oneonta, before A.D. Reynolds, one of the Coroners of the said County and seven jurors, good and lawful men of the said county, duly summoned and sworn by the said Coroner to inquire how and in what manner and when and where, Harrison Whtie came to his death, and who such person was, and into all the circumstances attending such death or wounding, and to make a true inquisition according to the evidence, or arising from the investigation of the body.
John Ingalls being produced and duly sworn and examined testifies and says that: I reside in Oneonta; I know Harrison White, and have for two years; he resides in the village of Oneonta; I last saw him alive this morning about 3-1/2 o'clock a.m.; he was then in Bissell's wagon on River St., with Sanford Disbrow, Owen Phillips, A.C. Moody, myself and several others I do not recollect; there was a fire on Miller St.; we were going to the fire; I think Mr. Bissell is employed by the fire department to use his team in case of fire alarm to draw steamer engine if necessary; that is what he was after this morning; the engine had passed corner of Main and Chestnut Sts. when the team arrived there; several firemen and others got in the wagon and drove rapidly to overtake the engine; the deceased was in the wagon; when they had passed the engine, the deceased attempted to jump out of the wagon, and his foot caught on the wagon box; he fell under the wheels and the hind wheel passed over him; after going about five rods, the team stopped, for the purpose of hitching the engine on the wagon to draw to the fire; I went back to see if he was hurt; I found him sitting partly on his knees and hands in the road; he said he was badly hurt across the chest, and wanted to get to some place out of the way; he said he caught his foot on wagon or box and fell, and the wheel passed over him; said nothing as to whether anyone was to blame; team was on good trot when the accident happened; I helped get him on walk and went after wagon to get him home; left T.H. Rockwell and Safford with him; that was the last I saw him until after his death; I think he is a member of fire department; this is all I know about cause of death; I should not think there was any negligence on part of the driver of the team; he was driving with ordinary care and diligence under the circumstances and I think there was no responsibility attached to any person for the accident. John C. Ingalls, Subscribed and sworn to before me this 15th day foo April 1878, A.D. Reynolds, Coroner.
Meigs Case M.D. being called and duly sworn and examined, testified as follows: I reside in this village; I am a practicing physician and surgeon, and have been for 23 years; I knew the deceased in his lifetime; his name was Harrison White; I attended him after his injuries; I found him sitting in a chair at his residence about 4 a.m. April 15th; he was in appearance extremely faint, and almost pulseless at the wrists; action of heart regular; pulsation about 80 per minute; respiration tolerably regular and easy; appeared to be suffering from extreme faintness; asked him to lie down, but found him unable to take that position without increased pain; complained of severe pain in the region of stomach and right side; I gave him hypodermic injection of morphine and was obliged to repeat it on account of pain; first gave no relief; applied external warmth, hot cloths, bricks, etc.; he was extremely cold; he took some stimulants of whiskey, which he afterwards vomited; gradually grew more faint, until we were obliged to lay him down to prevent him [falling]; made an examination before his death, and found no external mark of injury; he retained his intelligence up to nearly the last; he died about 7 a.m. of this date; I assisted in making an autopsy of the body, and found the abdominal cavity full of blood; which was ascertained to have been proceeded from an enormous rupture of the liver; death occurred from rupture of the liver; he never recovered from the shock of the injury; have heard the evidence of John Ingalls; the accident and injury as related by him would in my opinion be sufficient to cause death, and his death resulted from no other cause in my opinion, Meigs Case, Subscribed and sworn before me this 15th day of April, 1878, A.D .Reynolds, Coroner
O.W. Peck, M.D. being produced and duly sworn and examined testified and says as follows: I reside in Oneonta and am a practicing physician and surgeon and have been for 21 years; I knew deceased, Harrison White, during his lifetime, by sight, not personally; First saw him on the 15th in the afternoon at the request of the coroner and made an autopsy of the body at his request in connection with Dr. S.H. Case; we found no external marks of injury of any importance; there was a slight abrasion on the right side of the chest, about two inches above the nipple, and also another one on the left thigh, about two inches below the groin; externally other than these, the body was in outward apparent healthy condition; on opening the body, the heart, lungs, bones and all the organs so far as examined were found apparently in a healthy condition; examination of liver was found completely torn across which was sufficient to produce death; death was caused by hemorrhage on account of rupture of the liver; I heard the testimony of John Ingalls; in my opinion from his evidence, I would think the accident described by him would produce the external and internal condition of the body described by me, and be sufficient to produce death; I do not think death was caused by any other means. O.W. Peck, M.D., Subscribed and sworn before me this 15th day of April 1878, A.D Reynolds, Coroner.
I do hereby certify that the foregoing testimony of the several witnesses appearing upon the foregoing inquest, was reduced to writing by and under my direction, and in my presence, and that the said testimony is the whole of the testimony taken on such inquest, and that the same is correctly stated as given by the witnesses respectively. A.D. Reynold, Coroner.
The Funeral
The funeral, Tuesday afternoon, from the late residence of the deceased, was the largest that has occurred here for a long time. Besides members of the family, there were large numbers of citizens, and the companies of the Fire Department were out in full numbers. The solemn service was conducted by Rev. H.H. Allen, assisted by Rev. H. Brotherton. The following order was preserved in conducting the remains to the last resting place in Riverside Cemetery: Military Band, Hose Company, Hearse, family and Friends, Bearers, Steamer Company, Hook and Ladder Company, Citizens.
From house to grave, Military Band rendered Sumner's Funeral March. Service at the grave being over, family and friends returned home, and the companies were dismissed at their respective headquarters.
Harrison White
Mr. White had lived in Oneonta some years, married a daughter of Harvey Barnes, by whom he had no children. He was a kind, industrious gentleman, of no bad habits and generally respected. As a fireman, he was one of the best. Constant at his post, at meetings, parades or fires with no ambition other than to perform his duty faithfully. His wife, we are sorry to know is in poor health and suffers greatly from grief. Rumors of her death have thus been unfounded.
The Fire Department did a courteous thing and the right, in paying all expenses of the funeral. A handsome casket was furnished.
Mrs. White desires in this manner to tender her heartfelt thanks to Military Band and the Fire Department for their courtesy and to others for kindly aid and tokens of genuine sympathy.
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