The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1890-02-06
A TRAGEDY OF FIRE.
Secretary Traoy's Washington Res
idenco Burned.
Mrs. Tracy, Miss Mary Tracy and n DO
nestle Dead in Consequencc-Tho
Secretary and Others Make
Narrow Escapes.

street, Northwest. The ncighborhood
had not yet awakened, and all around
was still. Within tho residence not a
sound was heard, except the cracking
of tho flames, as with great tongues of
fro they came out of the windows on
the top floor. Soon the front door of
tho mansion was opened and
two male servants were seen
to emerge and run for their
lives. Figures robed in white then APP
pcared at the windows. The fire gained
Roadway rapidly, and although the fire
department responded promptly, the
residence was enveloped in flames when
they arrived. Secretary and Mrs. Tracy
occupied the back room on the second
floor. Mrs. Tracy, it is thought, was
first awakened by the sutfocating smoke.
Secretary Tracy was at the time un-
conscious, and Mrs. Tracy, with
heroic devotion, attempted to drag
the inanimate body of the Secretary
to the window. In this she partially
succeeded. Half dazed, and blinded by
the smoke, she opened the window, and
just as the tlremen were putting UP a
adder to rescue her she lcaped to the
sidewalk. Her body was picked up with
severe internal injuries and q broken
leg. She was taken to q ~neighboring
house and, without recovering conscious
ness, died within an hour. The lad
der which would have saved Mrs.
Tracy's life, had she waited but a
brief momen before leaping to the side
walk, was soon placed under the win
dow, and strong hands lifted the body of
Secretary Tracy through it and carried
him to the sidewalk. The secretary
was at first thought to be dead, but it
was discovered that a small spark of life
yet remained. lie was removed to the
residence of Mr.. Bancroft Davis, neal
by, and, at eleven o'clock, was reported
as improving, though at that time be
had not gained consciousness, and was,
of course, of the death of his
wife and daughter.
Miss Tracy, the s~ecretary's unmarried
daughter, occupied the third story front
room and met a fate that was terrible
to behold. The young lady could be
seen at tho window in the light that
tlickcred in between the binding smoke
and flames, clad in a white robe, her
. ~ III Wv publlNNit u DliNtl u1lu lltl
in'H uplifted to Heaven. The flames
gradually hemmed her in and she finally
sank to the floor, only to be recognized
again by her charrcd remains.
\ French maid, Josephine, met a sim
liar fate in an adjoining room where her
charrcd and blackened remains were
found.
Mrs. Wilmerding, Secretary Tracy's
married daughter, and her daughter,
Miss Alice, occupied the second-story
front room OF the same floor with Sec
rotary and Mrs. Tracy. Both she and
her daughter jumped from the window
to the grass terrace below, and while
the shock to both was severe, neither
apparent, any serious injury.
Mrs. Wilmerding had her right
wrist badly sprained. She is lying
hysterical and in a h%alf-dazed condi-
ton, but is rapidly improving under
treatment. Miss Alice is suffering from
u shock.
Tho bodies of Mrs. Tracy and Miss
Tracy have been removed to the resi-
dence of Acknowledgement Miller. Mrs.
and Miss Wilmerding are at DR.. Bax-
ter's, but will, during the day, be taken
to the residence of Senator Hale. Sec
rotary Tracy remains at Mr.. bancroft
Davis home.
Around all these residences great
crowds congregated as soon as the sad
news spread, and have remained all dur
ing the morning. Carriages and mes
sengcrs were stopping at the door mo-
mentarily. With Mrs. Tracy and Miss
Tracy and Mrs. Coppinger, Secretary
Blaine's daughter, all lying dead, Secre-
tary Tracy seriously i'll and his health
permanently impaired, Governmental
circles to-day are ershrouded in sadness
and gloom.
President Harrison, as soon as he
heard of the calamity, sent assistants
from the Executive Mansion to aid the
bereaved family, and followed himself
to inquire what assistance he could rem
der, and at this hour (11:45 a. n.y. is still
with Mr.. Tracy. The members of the
Cabinet, with whom the secretary was
very popular, were among the first to
call. They were all shocked beyond
measure at the calamity, and placed
their respective houses at the disposal
of the afflicted family.
K. G. Turner, a servant at the Tracy
mansion, says he was up and dressed at
seven o'clock, and was prepared to go
upstairs to clean the silver. He slept
in the basement. "Just as | was start
ing upstairs" SAID he, "a colored man
rang the bell and told the butler, who
answered it, that the house
was on fire." The butler ran up
stairs and Immediately rushed back
shouting: My God. the house is on
fire" The entire first foor was in
flames. We ran out the front door. Mrs.
Wilmerding and her daughter were at
the front second-story window scream
ing for help. The fire department
seemed demoralized, and both ladies
shortly jumped. Neither struck on their
feet, but fell on their sides"
An eye witness says that If Mrs. Ira
cy's strength had held out a few minutes
longer she would probably have been
saved, as the iremcn succeeded in get
ting a ladder over the brick wall n few
minutes after she loosened her hold and
fell to the ground. Miss Mary Tracy,
who was burned to death, it is said,
could also have saved herself if her
strength had held out a few minutes
longer. She fell in the hallway of the
second story a few yards from the bath
room, which, If she had reached and
closed the door, would have insured her
against the fire and smoke until assist
aDce could have reached her.
Chief Paris of the fire department,