Sad End.

A woman and four children burned to death. Special dispatch to the Standard. Barrie, June 6th. Mr. Wonch is an industrious man who has lived on the Mill road some time, his wife a kind hearted Irish woman, daughter of J. Leppard, near Markdale, Grey Co., and four children comprised the family. Mr. Wonch, the husband, had been away working all day, when he returned home, at tea his wife told him that a coat of his that hung up in the room showed signs of fire in the lining and wadding and that she had taken it outside and put the fire out. How the fire came in the coat is a mystery. Mr. Wonch took down the coat and examined it thoroughly, but could discover no signs of fire. Putting it on he went outside and fed the pigs and completed the other chores for the night. On his return to the house he again examined the coat, and being satisfied that it was all right, hung it up on a nail. he spent the evening in the house writing; about 10 o'clock the children were put to bed by the mother. Being tired Mr. Wonch soon fell asleep. The next thing he remembers was waking to find the whole room and the bed he was lying on one mass of flames, burning like fury. He jumped up, cried out to his wife and tried to catch hold of her to pull her off the bed, but she seemed unconscious. The flames bursting out of the bed, completely enveloped her. Within his grasp he then grabbed the bed-[tick] and pulled when it parted, the straw burning furiously. The floor gave away and it was a rush for life. Not being able to reach the door he jumped through the window, his face and hands terribly burned, one ear hanging singed, his whiskers burned off. He then ran across the street yelling and waking some neighbours who hurried out, but all too late; the fire burned furiously, nothing could save those left behind. The husband offered them everything, but powerless to save the mother and children. When the morning came and the fire subsuided, the remains of the wife and four children were found in the cellar, the flesh being almost completely burned up. The remains of the five were picked up and placed in one coffin. The sad affair has cast a gloom over the town, and Mr. Wonch has the deepest sympathy in his great troubles. Several rumors are afloat as to the origin of the fire, such as smoulderig in the coat; but this can never be accounted for. Several townsmen saw the fire, but as it was a mile out they thought it was a log or stump burning and paid no particular attention to it.