Cascade County MT Archives News.....SAD NEWS FOR MR. T. L. RITCH November 22, 1892
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Danielle Mozingo danisue1970@yahoo.com September 11, 2011, 5:50 pm

Charlotte Observer November 22, 1892
HIS TWO GRANDCHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH

In Their Distant Home in Montana-Particulars of the Dreadful Occurrence-Father 
and Mother Crased with Grief.

Mr. Thos. L. Ritch had the distressing news yesterday that his two 
grandchildren, sons of Mr. John B. Ritch, ad been burned to death at their home 
in Cascade county, Montana.

Mr. Ritch went West about five years ago, engaging in business in first one 
place and then another, until he drifted into Montana.  There he met a young 
girl, aged 14 years, whom he fell in love with and married.  They bought a home 
in Cascade county, and afterward a ranch.  They had two children, Tom, named 
for his grandfather, a little fellow but lately 3 years old, and a baby a year 
old last month, named John, after its father.  Both were healthy, fine-looking 
children, and were the pride of the father and mother's heart.

Yesterday Mr. Ritch here, received a letter from his brother-in-law, Mr. John 
Bundy, telling him of the children's death.  Mr. Bundy lives near the ranch on 
which his nephew lives.  The particulars as written by him of the sad 
occurrence are as follows:

Last Saturday a week ago Mr. Ritch was out "rounding up," i.e. bringing all the 
cattle in.  There was no one at home but his wife.  In the afternoon about 8 
o'clock she was attending to some work in an out house, a little distance from 
her dwelling, where she had left the children, as it was too cold to take them 
out.  When she finished her work and started out of the house she was horrified 
to see dense volumes of smoke pouring from the dwelling and by the time she 
could reach there the flames had burst out.  The terror-stricken mother could 
not venture near the house, the heat was so intense.

Distracted with grief, she had to remain outside, while her two little children 
were burned to crisps.  The father was two miles distant when the fire 
occurred.  As he journeyed homeward after a week's hard work, prepared to enjoy 
the pleasure of a quiet Sunday with his wife and babies, he little realized the 
dreadful fate which had overtaken the latter and the great sorrow awaiting 
him.  He and his wife are both prostrated with grief, Mr. bundy writes; they 
have been almost crazed at times.  The charred bodies of the children were 
buried by the side of a little uncle of theirs who perished last winter in a 
snow slide.  he left home with a little sled which he was taking the eldest 
child for a Christmas present.  On the way he stepped on a snow slide and fell 
600 feet.  His body was not recovered for a week, as his father thought he was 
at his sister's, and she did not know that he was on his way to see her.

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