The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-09-18
a SHOCKING FATE.

Hrs. Helen 4. Meys. Wlee esa New York
PhyBlojna, Burned 20 Death Through
spark lgaiting Her Cloehlag = Marrow
Escape of Lady Friend In Her ERorts e
Queaeh the Flame>
New YoRK, September 1.-THE tragic
leath Of Mrs. Helen X. Hoyt at $50 West
rhirtieth street was reported to Coroner
Levy yesterday. Mrs. Hoyt was the wife
If DR.. W. d. Hoyt They had been mar.
lied but o short time. The house in
which they lived Is q handsome nat on
The first floor, and Is furnished with taste
and elegance. AbOrt4:30 Tuesday even
ing Mrs. Hoyt In the absence Of her
husband, undertook to stir thu
furnace with q poker. As she did
20 . spark few out and fell on her lace
iress. In an instant the young lady's
clothing was In flames. Her screams re.
echoed through the house rs she ran up
to the rooms in the second story, occu-
pied by her friend, Mrs. Frances Rugcr.
When the lady opened the door Mrs.
Hoyt, crazed with fright and pain, threw
herself upon her. Mrs. Ruser fell back
and Mrs. Hovt 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 a very
light dress and had to act with great eau.
ton to avoid catching fire herself. Her
embarrassment was increased by Mrs.
Hoyts constant endeavor to embrace
her. Mrs. IIoyt cried. "Iiclp, I am dy.
insl" Mrs. Ruger caught up heavy
rug that lay before the fireplace, but be-
fore she could place 1t over the table
cover Mrs. IIoyt had thrown the latter
aside and ran iranticnlly from one room
10 another, the current of air created by
her flight tanning the flames. Mrs.
Ruger called her servan: and the two
women tried vaiDiy 10 control their un.
fortunate neighbour. They repeatedly
attempted to throw blankets and quilts
over her, but always with the same lack
of success. As Mrs. HOyt ran through
Mrs. Rugcr's apartments she set fire to
the carpet In pisces, and also ignited the
cover of bureau in bedroom. These
little fires were extinguished without
much trouble. Having reached Mrs.
Ru2er'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.
Kruger. This time her movement was 80
sudden that Mrs. Kruger had no chancs to
protect herself She struggled in the
fierce grasp OF her friend, whose glow
ing garments almost touched her
Owh. In the contest both women
moved along the head of the stairs,
Mrs. Ruser tryisg to escape and Mrs.
Hoyt holding her back with unnatural
strength, and both shrieking. Suddenly
Mrs. RuSer's foot caught in her skirts
and she fell down the stairs, dragging
Mrs. IIOyt after her. In the lower hail
Mrs. HOyt's fingers relaxed their desper.
ate hold, and when both ladies scaambled
to their feet, Mrs. RuSer 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. lIoyt in a
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 aud fell. A
teamster, who was passing, jumped
down from his seat and enveloped
her in u horse blanket. All this had
happened in far less time than it re-
qnircd to tell 1t. DIR. Hoyt came
along as the blanket was thrown
over her. She was carried to drug
store, and several physicians who live
in the neishborhood offered 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 home:
where she died At 6:45 yesterday morn
in.. The deceased was twenty three
years old, attractive in person, and had
a large circle of friends. DR.. Hoyt Is
Frustrated with grief. Mrs. Ruger sui
tered little by her fall, but was in 4 nerv-
Gus, exhausted state yesterday.