Bernville, PA House Fire, July 1927

MOTHER AND SIX CHILDREN PERISH AS HOME BURNS.

FATHER AND BOARDER IN HOSPITAL, ADMIT THERE WAS STILL IN HOUSE -- ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE.

DENY LIQUOR MANUFACTURE.

By Associated Press.
Reading, Penna., July 10. -- A bushel of scorched bones and a bit of seared flesh was all that could be found today when eight prisoners from the Berks county jail combed the ashes of the little log cabin home near Bernville, 13 miles from here, where MRS. KATHERINE FAIR and her six children were burned to death Saturday morning. Some of the bones were recognized as those of MRS. FAIR, but none of the children could be identified.
In the Homeopathic hospital lies the husband and father, MARK R. FAIR, hovering near death, while in another ward is ANGELO CONSULIO, who was also in the home when it was wrecked by an explosion. He is not seriously hurt.
County police, headed by Chief of Detectives HARRY HILZINGER, made a thorough examination of the ruins today. They found, they said, unmistakable signs that a still was in operation. FAIR, however, blames the explosion on a stove, though he admitted there was a still in the house.
Another investigation was also began by District Attorney DAVID H. MAUGER. He said that if this leads to evidence that illegal liquor was being made at the house, warrants will be issued for the two men if they survive. He said both will also be charged with manslaughter.
FAIR said he had rented the basement of his obscure farmhouse to CONSULIO several months ago. He said he never went there and was under the impression CONSULIO was making perfume and hair tonic. He admitted that he has done much hauling for CONSULIO to Philadelphia and nearby cities, but denied knowing what was in the truck, which, he said, he did not own.

Titusville Herald Pennsylvania 1927-07-11
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!