# Chicago Tribune, 1871-10-20, page 2 -- Letter "How it originated -- Statements and affidavits as to the starting point of the great fire", with the sworn statements of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary and Dennis (Daniel) Sullivan taken 15 Oct. 1871 by Michael McDermott, notary public; Tribune 20 Oct. 1871
# Source: Library of Congress, Chronicling America, lccn sn82014064; page URL https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82014064/1871-10-20/ed-1/?sp=2
# OCR full text from https://tile.loc.gov/text-services/word-coordinates-service?segment=/service/ndnp/dlc/batch_dlc_clark_ver03/data/sn82014064/no_reel/1871102001/0002.xml&format=alto_xml&full_text=1
# Lines 746-818 of the page OCR (uncorrected OCR, column order as delivered by LoC). Fetched 2026-09-14T06:25:57Z.
# STATUS: newspaper report of the testimony, mostly in reported speech with some direct quotation -- NOT the stenographic transcript.

statements and Affidavits as totheStart-
ing Point of the Great Fire,
j 3o the hdUor of The Chicago Tribune:
A groat deal has been pubirahodrespecting the
origin of the groat fire, which all reports have
i settled down on tho hoad of a woman, ora's the
i Times has it, an Irish hag” of 70 rear* of age.
Admitting for a moment that an Irish hag of
70 years W AS -by.ah unforeseen .accident tho
cause, yet there was‘a great want'ofeharity in
tho.y»/;jc* of. tho 18 th. ’’The
following facts arc stubborn things, and.will
cause tho public to look .for the cause in ’other
sources, and perbape attribute it to tho loro of
plunder, Dmno wrath, etc.:
I made my way to the
H-Tn ai fi hou6e yot standing, and. there, at N«».
1371)ekoroni street, on .the oast H of Lot 12, in
Block 33, School Section Addition to Chicago,
i;>and Dennis[Sullivan; oi No. 134. and Dennis I
both oflleKovon stioet Thoro
and then I took the annexed affidavit*. .The par
ties have oocn known.tojne personally for sev
eral yours as of irreproachable character.. Mrs.
,0 Leary isneilher haggard nordirty.- 1
Patrick 0 Leary.and Catherine, his wife, being
sworn before mo, testify, that they live at
No. 137 DoKoven street, and own the lot and
bouse in which they live: they, had five cows, a
horsoand wagon, on all pf which they had not
ono cent of insurance. Sbo milked her
mii’-as Mrs. O’Leary
peddled the milk. Mrs. O’Leary: fed the-horse
ocsido the fence at about 7 o'clock p. m., and
then pat him in the barn. She bad no lamp in
the yard or barn that night or evening.
Patrick O’Leary testifies that ho was not in
the barn during.that day or night loft tho feed
ing of- tho cows-and horse to his wife and
daughter; that.both wore lii bod when awakened
by Ilenis Ryan, of No, 112 DeKoven street; that
tncy have lost-their barn;-cows, horse and
wagon.
Klre.
Subscribed and sworn before mo this 15th day
of October, IS J. his
Patrick K O’Learv,
mark.
—rber
Catsxsike X O’Leart.
mark.
v .i' McDermott.
Notary Pubbcfor Chicago and City Surveyor.
Dents Sullivan being duly sworn .before mo
testifies th«t ho was at Patrick-O’Leary’s house.
No. 137 DeKoveh street,on SundayuieJht IhoSth,
of October, ISTl.from about S'A to 9 o’clock at
night, during which time Mr. O r Lonry and wifo
wore inbod; tbat.;ho-wcmt a fow ’iot*. east of
0 Leary s on the opposite -side of'DeKnron
street, until about half-past 9 o’clock, when Ue
saw.the fire, ilc went across the street and
cried 4 *fitb "fire," and wont 'into O’Leary’s
barn, whore hofound the hayin the lot; on fire.
He. then attempted to'cut loosetha cowiaod
horse, but failed to saro anything but a half
burned half. Ho then came to O’Leary’s and
found them out of bed. Denis Ryan alarmed
them during his time at the barn.
Subscribed and sworn to before mo this 15th
day of October, 1671.
Michael McDermott,
Notary Public for Chicago. and-City Surveyor*