The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-17
4 SHOCKING FATE.

Mrs. Helen X. Hoyt. Wife eff New York
Physician, Burned to Death Through a
Spark lighting Her Clothing Narrow
Escape OF Lady Friend In Her Efforts to
Quench the Flames
New YORK, September 1.-THE tragic
ieath of Mrs. Helen X. Hoyt at $50 West
Thirtieth street was reported to Coroner
Levy yesterday. Mrs. Hoyt was the wife
If DIR. w. ID. Hoyt They had been mar
led but q short time. The house la
which they lived Is a handsome fat on
the FIRST floor, and is furnished with taste
md elegance. About 80 Tuesday even
ing Mrs. Hoyt, in the absence OF her
husband, undertook TO stir the
urnace with a poker. As she did
so a spark flew out and fell on her lace
1ress. In an instant the young lady's
clothing was in flames. Her screams re-
echoed through the house as she ran up
TO the rooms in the second story, occu-
pied by her friend, Mrs. Frances Ringer.
When the lady opened the door Mrs.
HOyt, crazed with fright and pain, threw
herself upon her. Mrs Ruger fell back
and Mrs. Hoyt ran into the room. With
much difficulty Mrs. Ruger threw heavy
table cover over hcr, hoping thus
to smother the flames. Mrs.
Ruger herself was clad in q very
light dress and had to act with great eau
ton to avoid catching fire herself. Her
embarrassment was increased by Mrs.
Hoyt's constant endeavor to embrace
her. Mrs. IIoyt cried. 'HeIp, am dy-
ingi" Mrs. Ruger caught up a heavy
rug that lay before the fireplace, but be-
fore she could place it over the table
cover Mrs. Hoyt had thrown the latter
aside and ran irantically from one room
TO another, the current of air created by
ner flight tanning the flames. Mrs.
Ruger called her servant and the two
women tried vainly 10 control their I'M
fortunate HeighbOr. They repeatedly
attempted To- throw blankets and quilts
over her, but always with the same lack
of success. As Mrs. Hoyt ran through
Mrs. Ruger's apartments she set fire to
the carpet In places, and also ignitef the
cover of a bureau in Il bedroom. These
little fires were extinguished without
much trouble. Having reached Mrs.
Runer's rearmost room, Mrs. Hoyt
turned and ran back, screaming "mur-
der!" She dashed into the hall through
the door by which she had entered. Mrs.
Rugcr followed her to call for help.
Again Mrs. Hoyt tried to grasp Mrs.
Rugcr. This time her movement was 80
sudden that Mrs. Ruger had no chance 10
protect herself. She struggled in the
fierce grasp of her friend, whose glow
ing garments almost touched her
own. In the contest both women
moved along the head OF the stairs,
Mrs. Ruger tryisg 10 escape and Mrs.
Hoyt holding her back with unnatural
strength, and both shrieking Suddenly
Mrs. Ruger's foot caught in her skirts
and she Tell down the stairs, dragging
Mrs. lIoYt after her. In the lower hail
Mrs. HoyL's fingers relaxed their desper-
ate hold, and when both ladies scrambled
TO their feet, Mis-. Ruger freed herself.
As she staggered back, faint and breath
less, against the wall, Mrs. Hoyt dashed
into the street. Her clothing by that
lime was almost burned from her person.
She turned toward Ninth avenue, expect
ing, it is supposed, to find DR.. Hoyt in q
drug store on the corner, where he goes
occasionally. In front of DIR. Livings-
toms office, few doors from her own
residence, Mrs Hoyt tripped and fell. A
teamster, who was passing, Jumped
down from his seat and enveIoped
her in horse blanket. All this had
happened in far less time than it re-
CURED 10 tell it. DR.. Hoyt came
along as the blanket was thrown
over her. She vas carried to Il drug
store, and several physicians who live
in the neishborhood offered their SER
vices. They found that Mrs. Hoyt's
lees, breast and abdomen were horribly
burned. After the usual applications
she was carried back to her home,
where she died at Gas yesterday morn
ing. The deceased was twenty-three
years old, attractive in person, aud had
q large circle of friends. DR.. Hoyt is
Frustrated with grief. Mrs. Ruger SUI
fered little by her fall, but was III nerv-
Gus, exhausted state yesterday.