St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-09-19
A SHOCKING FATE.


Mrs. Helen *. Hoyt. Wife of a New YORK
Physician, Burned to Death Through
Spark Igniting Her Clothing : Narrow
Escape of a Lady Friend In Her Efforts TO
Quench the Flames.
New YORK, September 1.-THE tragic
death of Mrs. Helen X. Hoyt at $50 west
Thirtieth street was reported to Coroner
Levy yesterday. Mrs. Hoyt was the wife
of DR.. W. D. Hoyt. They had been mar
rfed but a short time The house ID
which they lived is handsome fat on
the first floor, and is furnished with taste
and elegance. About4 80 Tuesday even
ing Mrs. Hoyt, in the absence of her
husband, undertook to stir the
furnace with poker. As she did
so spark few out and fell on her lace
dress. 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 Ruger.
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 her, hoping thus
to smother the flames Mrs.
Ruger herself was clad in 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 endeayor to embrace
her. Mrs. Hoyt cried, ssHelp, am dy-
ing!' 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 franticalIy from one room
to another, the current of air created by
her flight tanning the flames. Mrs.
Ruger called her servant and the two
women tried vainly to control their un.
fortunate neighbor. 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 ignited the
cover of bureau in bedroom. These
little fires were extinguished without
much trouble. Having reached Mrs.
Ruger's rearmost room, Mrs. Hoyt
turned and ran back, screaming ssmur-
der!" She dashed into the hall through
the door by which she had entered Mrs.
Ruger followed her to call, for help.
Again Mrs. Hoyt tried to grasp Mrs
Ruger. This time her movement was so
sudden that Mrs. Ruger had no chance TO
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 trying to escape and Mrs.
Hoyt holding her back with unnatural
strength, and both shrieking. Suddenly
Mrs. Ruger's foot caught in her skirts
and she fell down the stairs, dragging
Mrs. Hoyt after her. In the lower hall
Mrs. Hoyt's fingers relaxed their desper.
ate hold, and when both ladies scrambled
to their feet, Mrs Ruger freed herself.
AS she staggered back, faint and breath
less, against the wall, Mrs. Hoyt dashed
into the street. Her clothing by that
time was almost burned from her person.
She turned toward Ninth avenue, expect.
ing, it is supposed, to find DIR. Hoyt in a
drug store on the corner, where he goes
In front of DR.. 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 enVetoped
her in horse blanket All this had
happened in far less time than it re-
quired to tell it. DR.. Hoyt came
along as the blanket was thrown
over her. She was carried to a drug
store, and several physicians who live
in the neighborhood roffered their ser.
vices. They found that Mrs. Hoyt's
legs, breast and abdomen were horribly
burned. After the usual applications
she was carried back to her homet
where she died at 6:45 yesterday morn
ing The deceased was twenty-three
years old, attractive in person, and had
q large circle of friends. DR.. Hoyt is
Frustrated with grief. Mrs. Ruger sui
fered little by her fall, but was in nerv-
ous, exhausted state yesterday.