The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-06

whom Secretary Tracy was very popular
were among the first to call. They were
all shocked beyond measure at the calam-
ty, and placed their respective houses at
The disposal of the afflicted family, As
toon as Secretary Tracy can be moved
with safety he will be taken to the eXecu-
sive mansion.
THE NEWS BROKEN TO SECRETARY TRACY.
President Harrison has Just returned
from the bedside of Secretary Tracy, whom
he reports as resting as comfortably as can
be expected under the circumstances.
About II o'clock Mr. Tracy recovered con-
sciousness and asked President Harrison
| where Mrs. Tracy was. The president could
| not answer the question. Mr.. Tracy evil
IDENTIFY feeling that her escape was almost
| impossible, asked:
rs she dead?"
Still the president could not answer the
question of his friend, and Mr.; Tracy, re-
| alizing the trutA4rom the presidents heSl-
fancy, at once swooned and remained 'un-
conscious half an hour. Recovering he
asked for his daughters. The president
! told the secretary his daughter May
was dead and again Mr.. Tracy swooned.
DIR. Wates, who is one of the physicians
in attendance upon Secretary Tracy, said
this afternoon the secretary was getting
along very well, and that the only danger
now to be feared is that the smoke in his
lungs will cause bronchitis. The secre
| tary," he said, was bearing up bravely in
his great atfiiction. His greatest anxiety
was in regard to his wife, and the first
words uttered by him on regaining con-
sciousness was to urge them to save her
life. Save her save herv he cried plte-
ously, and then he relapsed into state of
| insensibility. 1t lasted short time only,
however and he again called out to the
doctors to leave him and save her. He
subsequently inquired for his daughter,
and told the doctors she too must
be saved. Finally it was concluded that
| the best course would be to tell him the
truth as the terrible suspense he was
suffering might retard his own recovery.
| The president was with him at the time
and it was from his lips that he learned the
sad news that his wife and daughter were
dead. The blow was terrible one, bat he
stood it with fortitude and soon after fell
| into restless sleep"
| DIR. Wates said the secretary's system was
still saturated with the smoke he had in
hailed, but there was a slow and steady
| improvement in his general symptoms.
| The president and Mr. Halford remained
in the house until late in the afternoon.
| The president suggested that the secretary
be removed to the white house, but the ply
sicians advised against any disturbance for
forty eight hours. They thought he would
be strong enough for removal by that
| time. The president also suggested that
the bodies of Mrs. Tracy and Miss Tracy
be taken to the white house and that the
funeral take place from there. The re-
moval will be made this afternoon. Secre-
taries Window and Noble and Senators
first to call at Judge Davis house. Mrs.
Harrison also called to inquire Of the sec
retary's condition. James q. Blaine, Jr.,
also called at the house several times dur
ing the dav. He brought a message of
coincidence from Secretary Blaine. The
latter is bearing up well in his own great
atfliction and went out tor walk during
the afternoon with his son Emmons.
The president remained with Secretary
Tracy until o'clock, when he went to the
white house. The bodies of Miss Tracy and
the servant since identified as the French
nurse, Josephine Morrell, were this after.
noon removed temporarily to the residence
of Attorney General Miller, on Massachu-
setts avenue, where the body of Mrs, Tracy
was taken this morning.
CHIEF PARIsH's S STORY.
Chief Parish, of the fire department, told
his story as follows:
paid no attention to the fire when
heard there were people in the house.
) felt my way through the smoke to the sec
ond floor and found man in bed in 6
room. / tried to pick HIM up but he wa:
too heavy. | managed to drag him into
the back room where there was more
air, and then | broke the window
out and called to Lowe, who was i'll the
alley to run up ladder Then they tool
the man out, and it proved to be the sec.
, retary | could not move him any further
for was exhausted and full up to the necl
with smoke. Then | went back into tn,
smoke and fire and found a young lady
Miss Mary Tracy. they tell me it was-anC
| I l,,l,l hNr f,Nl hon
tn e flesh came off her burning hands. Sht
had been burned. She was dead"
CAUSES OF DEATH.
DR.. Ruth at the solicitation of friends
visited the undertaker's establishment anC
identified Miss Tracy. He made hurried
examination and found that she had died
from suffocation. Mrs. Tracy was found tC
have died from rupture of the blooc
vessels.
A gentleman who saw the fire said, neve
in his life did he see or hear of such sight
"It seemed, he said, las though hell haC
| broken loose and sent its fiery tongue
to earth. The whole buildins
| seemed one seething mass o
flames bursting from every point
Scream followed scream, each one NOR,
| horrible and bloOd-curdling than thu
t other, from the interior of the building
: Only few people were passing at th'
| Jlluc lllCN DChlluClCu' h'
5 engines soon arrived. You know thu
rest"
WHAT AN EYEWITNESS SAYS.
; r. G. Turner is foOtman at the Trac!
r residence. He was an eyewitness of par
of the fire. He was up and dressed before
o'clock and was prepared to go up-stair
to clean the silver. He slept il
the basement. Just as / was start
: ing upstairs" he said, "a colore(
5 man rang the bell and told the butler whC
/ answered it that the house was on fire
= The butler ran up stairs and immediatel!
2 rushed back shouting MY God the hous
is on fire. The entire first floor was il
flames. We ran out the front door. Mrs
Wilmerding and her daughter were at th
= front second story window screaming 70
? help. Both ladies shortly jumped. Neithe
E struck ON their feet, but fell OF
Y their sides. The house of Mr.. F. s. Rhem
? No. S22, Seventh street, which was almOs
t captured by the fire, was thrown open 70
/ the reception of the dead and the dying
= Mrs. Tracy, still alive, was brought i'll by
S couple of tiremen and was placed on sofa
1t was a little after o'clock when she spi
up a little blood, hardly enough to b
! termed hemorrhage, closed her eyes, AM
| without a moan ceased to breathe. He
!, body was removed to the residence 0
: Attorney General Miller. The coo
t scorched and blackened until she had a.
= Ethiopian appearance but not seriousl
O injured was thp next brought in. She wa