The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-05
TRACY'S TERRIBLE TRIAL
TIE SECRETARY SLOWLY RECOV.
ERING FROM THE BLOW.

Mrs. and Miss WilmerdinS Also Better.
The secretary's Son With Him, but
Not Permitted to See His Sister
The Secretary Removed to the White
House.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-Secretary Tracy
continues to improve slowly. Many promi-
nent people called at the house during the
morning, and were informed that the sec
retary was getting along nicely. His son,
Frank B. Tracy, is now with him, having
arrived here about l 80 o'clock this morning
on special train. He is the first member
Of his family the secretary has seen
since the awful calamity of yesterday
morning, and his presence was unmistak-
ably source of joy and hope to the
bereaved parent. President Harrison sent
over early in the morning to inquire after
the secretary, and Private Secretary Hal
ford called in person about 10 o'clock to
consult with regard to the secretary's
removal to the white house.
CONDITION OF THE wILMERDINGs.
The physicians attending Mrs. and Miss
Hilmerding said this morning that their
patients passed quiet night, and are better
to-day. Mrs. Wilmerding suffers a great
deal from bruises, and at times this morn
ing was hysterical, as she began to realize
the extent of her terrible loss. At 10 o'clock
the doctors succeeded in quieting her
nerves and she fell into a quiet sumber.
She is necessarily much exhausted and
suffers more from the nervous shock than
from her arm, but the doctors say that with
absolute repose she will soon rally. Miss
Wilmerding is decidedly better, having
passed a quiet night.
Frank c. Tracy called early this morn
ing, but was advised by the physicians not
to see his sister for fear the meeting might
excite her. No one save the nurse aud
physicians are allowed to enter the sick
room.
THE FUNERAL SERVICES.
Funeral services will be held over the
rema ins of Mrs and Miss Tracy in the east
room of the white house tomorrow morn
ing at IL O'Clock. Rev. DR.. Douglass.
rector of ST. Johns Protestant Episcopal
church, will conduct the religious service.
The bodies will be temporarily deposited in
the receiving vault at Rock Greek ceme-
terry until their final disposition is deter
mined upon. The services will be private.
Secretary Tracy was this afternoon taken
to the white house, where he will remain
for the present. He has received a great
many messages of coincidence from indi-
viduals and organized bodies. Among these
are messages from Queen Victoria,
from the Lord Mayor of London.
the common council Of Brooklyn, the Off
GERS of the Alliance aud Petrol, at Norfolk,
Mission Ridge Post G. A. R. of Chatta-
nooga, and Rev. Lyman Abbott of Ply
mouth church, Brooklyn.
The funeral Of Josephine Morell, the
French maid who perished in the flames at
the Tracy mansion, took place from ST.
Matthews church this afternoon. The girl
had no friends or relatives in the city, and
Mrs. Harrison took charge Of the burial ar
rangements.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Building Inspector Entwisle has made an
investig ltion into the origin of the fire. He
says escape and an explosion of gas seem
the most probable cause, as Immediately
under the point where the fire started there
was located pump run by Bunsen gas
burner, and it is poss BILE that this may have
been out of order, allowing gas to escape to
the room above behind the wooden panel
ing, which extended all around the rooms
on this floor, and that it then took fire.
There is no absolute evidence that de-
termines the cause.
RICHMoND'S SYMPATHY.
RICHMOND, VA, Feb 4.-The city coun-
Gil tonight passed the following preamble
and resolution:
WHEREAS The citizens of Richmond have
learned with profound sorrow Of the affliction
that has visited the honorable Secretary of the
Navy and his family therefore be it
Resolved, BY the council of the city of Rich
mond, the board of aldermen concurring, that
his honor the mayor be requested to convey to
the Secretary of the Navy the sincere sympathy
felt for him by our people in the hour of his
sad bereavement and sorrow.
DEMOCRATIC CLUBS SYMPATHY.
NASHVILLE, TENN, Feb. AT a meet
ing of the Young Mems Democratic Club
in this city tonight, the following was
unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the Young Mems Democratic
Club of Nashville has learned with profound
sorrow Of the misfortune which has befallen
the family of the Secretary of the Navy, and
that we, its members, take this occasion to ex-
tend our sympathy and coincidence to the be-
reaved statesman in this awful hour of his
tribulation and suffering.