The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-04-19
Mrs. steuart,s Terrible Death.

Ist. Louis Republican,
A Republican reporter called last even
ing on Mr.. Will S. Stewart (of the firm
of Derby & Day., who lost his wife by
the terrible catastrophe which has en-
veloped our city in a pail of mourning
and unutterable misery. He was found
at the residence of Mr.. F. o. Day, on
Locust Street, and out of his anguish
was kind enough to weave a statement
of circumstances which preceded and
accompanied the climatic him and
his-of the unutterable horror. We pre-
cent it as nearly as may be in his own
language:
We occupied room 375, on the fifth
floor of the hotel facing on Fifth Street:
About half-past one o'clock my wife
awcke me with the remark that there were
loud voices on the street, and we got out of
bed to ascertain the cause. We saw
smoke and the lurid glarein the sky, and
my wife, with a fearful presentment of
danger, exclaimed, "My Godl the hotel
is on fire, and we must die" I imme-
diately opened the door leading into the
hall and found it filled with smoke, which
was so su6ocating, we tried to find our
way on our knees. II wasimpossible. After
a few steps my wife fell on herface, over
come, and I had literally to dragh her back
into the room as best l could. The win
dow was opened top and bottom, and 50
allowed the smoke to pass out. l then
suggested that we should dress ourselves,
hoping and expecting that rescue would
present itself from the outside. The
heat in the hall meanwhile broke the
glass in the transom, admitting a large
volume of smoke. Mrs. Stewart became
suddenly wild.I may say frantic. Hope
seemed dead within her. The street be-
low was choked with people who could
see us plainly by the light in the room ;
but from the sea of upturned faces there
came no suggestion of escape.
1 made a rope of bed-clothing-three
pairs of blankets, two sheets and coun-
terpane-and spliced them together in
knots which l deemed secure. 1t was OF
sufficient length to reach the ground, and,
as nv wife sat on the window sill, 1 tied
one end of this rope to her waist, fasten-
ing the other end to the center-piece OF
the window-sash. How did l feel? God
knows how. 1 believed Twas letting her
down to life and to stay there and die
The smoke by this time, was down as
low as our heads, and I proceeded in the
effort to lower her to the sidewalk. Hell
last words to me were let me down."
1 cried Goodbye, my dear forever"
believed she would be saved by the means
1 had contrived, but 1 expected to be
suffocated. 1 had not lowered hel
more than six or eight feet, when she fell
from some cause almost incomprehensi
BILE to me. l sat down stunned, to wal
fordeaIh or until some relief might come
I heard shouts from the other side OF thu
street. 1 went to the window. People
were calling to me to pull up the rope o
bed clothes which l thrown out whel
my poor wife fell almost out of my arms
as it were. 1 did SO, and found a rop
attached. 1 put on a glove to proven
friction, threw my wife's diamonds, wit
five thousand dollars and jewelry, int
the middle of the bed, got out of tn
of the window, adjusted my legs sailor
fashion around the rope, and slid dow
in safety to the sidewalk.
About half an hour elapsed betwee
my wife's falling from the rope and m
reaching the ground. l found that SD
had been taken to the st. James an
) from there she had been removed to Mr.
. Davis clearinghouse on WalnutStre
t where she died in about three-hours an
a half. She was conscious only for
! moment to know me, and that about q
, hour before her death. She showed L
! signs of broken limbs, although she fe
. full sixty feet. She died from the horrt
e of the shock and and internal injurie