Chester County PA Archives Obituaries.....Ritter, John H. February 1, 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Dan Lindley danoh19344@hotmail.com September 29, 2005, 2:54 pm Daily Local News, February 1,2&3, 1922 Daily Local News February 3, 1922 RITTER- In West Chester, on Feb. 1st, 1922, John H. Ritter, aged 72 years. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral without further notice from 123 E. Washington St., on Saturday, Feb. 4. Meet at the house at 3 o’clock pm. Interment at Greenmount Cemetery. Daily Local News February 1, 1922 This morning, about11 o’clock, a small frame building in an alley in the rear of South Matlack street, below Magnolia, occupied by John Ritter, was discovered to be on fire, and an alarm was sounded which was responded to by all the fire companies, the fireman having some difficulty in reaching the scene on account of the deep snow. The firemen did god work, and although the building was inflammable, the fire was extinguished and did not communicate to other buildings in the neighborhood., but Ritter’s home is a wreck. It is supposed that he was asleep and fire caught from a stove, that he was overcome by smoke and was unable to give an alarm or escape. The loss to the building was not large. Mr. Ritter was found to be in a serious condition and was at once rushed to the Homeopathic Hospital where physicians and nurses surrounded him and applied every aid in attempting to resuscitate him. Their work was futile, however, and he died about 11:30 o’clock from suffocation, having inhaled smoke. He was seventy years old and had lived here many years, coming here from Lancaster County. He was a tree trimmer by trade and well known to the people. A son, Edward, is superintendent of Everhart Grove, and another, John Jr., is a tree trimmer for the borough. His work on the Court House poplar tree is noteworthy. A daughter is Mrs. Laura MacDonald, of this borough. A son, Robert, was killed in France during the war. TELEPHONES OUT During the blaze a cable carrying over sixty telephone wires was burned or wrecked in some way and the talking service in that section of town was crippled beyond use. Operators in the exchange did their best to respond to frantic calls of subscribers, but could give no service. Daily Local News February 2, 1922 Deputy Coroner R. Jones Patrick has investigated the case of John Ritter, the elderly resident of West Chester, who died yesterday at the Homeopathic Hospital, where he was taken after being removed from his burning home and died soon afterward and has decided to grant a certificate of death from burns and some suffocation. After obtaining information from the physician in charge, several firemen and others, the Coroner decided that a jury was not necessary. From what can be learned , the unfortunate man had loin (sic) down, and, while asleep, a red hot cook stove set fire to the woodwork of the small frame building, the smoke probably suffocating Ritter so that he was unable to rise and escape and he was badly burned. At the hospital all efforts to revive the man proved unavailing and he expired shortly afterward. Particulars of the family and the dead man’s business were given yesterday and his children have the sympathy of numerous friends. Fire Chief Roskell Woodward stated this morning that the fire was started by an overheated stove and the flames had made much headway before they were discovered and the fire department could get there through the deep snow, but the firemen did good work after connection was made. Under all circumstances, the firemen did well. Additional Comments: suspect this is John L Ritter. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb