Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-07-07
Sad Tragedy in Alexandria.


and Sunday of last week. The Alexandria
papers of Monday last contain the details of
the distressing affair. The account opens
with the sad accident by which Miss Laura
Schafer, young lady of that city lost her life.
The Gazette says =
eShe had been dressing FOR the evening in
her own room in the third story of her fathers
residence, on Fairfax street, her grandmother,
Mrs Ballenger, lady of some eighty years,
being in the room with her. In her fathers
room, adjoining hers, stood large bureau,
in adraw (which she kept her handkerchiefs,
and, having completed her toilet she took
the kerosene oil lamp she had been using in
her hand and went into that room for one,
leaving her grandmother in her own chamber.
She had hardly reached the centre of her
fathers room before she heard the lamp crack,
and was instantly aware that she was covered
with the burning fluid. She Immediately
threw the lamp from her to the hearth, and
ran down stairs screaming piteously for help.
Mr.. Phillips. her brother-iu-law, who was
sitting at the sfront-door steps, hearing her
cries, rushed into the house, and saw her
rapidly descending the stairs enveloped in
flames that extended far above her head
She reached the bottom of the steps about
the same time that he did and her mother,
who had also been startled by her cries, and
had met her there, was endeavoriug iueffec-
tualy to extinguish the flames when he
arrived. As soon as she saw him she turned
from her mother, and beseechingly implored
him to save her. lie at once threw off his
coat, and wrapped it around her, soon sue
ceeded in subduing the fiery element; but,
alas not until it had accomplished its hid
eops work. Her grandmother, with blanket.
quenched the fire in Mr.. Schafer's room, and
in all probability had the young lady, in her
fright, not have gone down stairs, would also
have extinguished the flames which surround
ed her.
''Dr. Lewis, who was at once sent for, in
short time arrived, and every expedient that
science could suggest or art apply that might
possibly prevent or hinder the approach of
death was resorted to, but in vain, for nearly
the whole surface of her body was severely
burned, and in some places the consistency of
crisp, and on the following morning shortly
after IL o'clock she was relieved of her
sufferings.
'About three hours after her death, or
about two o'clock, Mr.. Charles Tennesson,
son of Mr.. Samuel Tennesson, young gen.
tleman we'll and favorably known in the COM
munity, who, rumor says, was engaged to be
married to the deceased, and who had been
her constant companion for years-she re-
fusing to have other company-and who was
at her bedside when she died, sent from the
residence of his father for a friend, Mr. Hen
rv Green, to come and see him, and when
Mr.. Green arrived proposed to walk with him
to Mr.. Schafcr's house. Mr.. Green consen-
ted, and the two walked down on the way to
Mr.. Schafer's residence, up which they pro-
ceeded as far as the gate leading into the
wholesale liquor store of Doownham & Green
of which firm his friend was a member At
this gate Mr.. TeDnesson stopped, and pro-
posed to go into the store, but Mr.. Green
not having the key to the back door, told
him to wait there until he went around ana
obtained entrance through the front door, on
King street. He agreed to this, and was
soon admitted. a short time after entering
the store he said he believed he would take
a drink, and. Mr. Green having drawn him
what he desired. and handed it to him as he
stood in the middle of the store, he drank it,
and then giving as toast :: Here's to
you and God save u.s." Mr.. Green took
the empty tumbler, and whilst carrying it
back to the understand was startled by the
report of pistol, and turning, saw Mr.. Ten
nesson fall heavily to the floor. He had de-
liberately drawn a ve-barrelled Whitney re-
volver from his pocket, and with the muzzle
to his right temple pulled the trigger. The
ball entared the cavity of his skull and lodged
upon tie opposite side.
Surgical assistance was summoned at once,
but the wounded man was beyond the reach
of the, assistance to be afforded by earthly
doctors. lie was taken home, where he -ex-
PRED at twenty minutes past 3 o'clock this
evening, never having recovered his con-
seriousness since the infection of his wound
This truly melancholy affair was the sub
ject Of general conversation yesterday and to-
day, and. feeling illusions were made to it
yesterday in some of the churches. The pa
reEts of the young couple receive the sympa-
thies of the entire community.
"Shortly after Mr.. Teneesson shot himself
yesterday, Mr.. James Wood, young friend
of his, and who had been in to look at him as
he lay upon the floor, fainted after coming
out on the street, and falling upon the pave
ment, gave rise among the large crowd col
lected in the neighborhood to a rumor that
another catastrophe had happened. He, how
ever, after the lapse of an hour, and the ad-
ministration of the proper restoratives, re-
covered"
This is the most lamentable affair which
has occurred in Alexandria since the memoir
able 18th of November, 1855, when seven of
the best citizens of the town were buried by
the fall Of the wall of the same building in
which young Tcnnesson came to his death.
The parties are we'll known, have large circles
of friends, and the mourning for the untime-
II event is widespread, while the excitement
is universal. Nothing else is talked of in
Alexandria
From the Cleveland Cohio) Herald, June 2oth.l
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