The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-06
! HOLOCAUST IN WASHINGTON.

Secretary Tracy Makes a Narrow Escape
from the Fiames His Wife Killed by
Fall, One Daughter Burned to
Crisp and Another BADLY Injured.
WASHINGTON, Februay ga terri
ble calamity visited the household OF
Secretary Tracy this morning, Whereby
three persons lost their lives and three
others were badly injured. 1t Is inn
possible ut this writing to state the eX-
act details. The house, a three-story
and basement brick, is situated on l
street, between Connecticut avenue
and 18th street, and has recently un-
dergone extensive Improvements. Per-
SOILS passing the house at o'clock this
morning saw smoke issuing from the
front windows, and at once raised the
alarm of fire. Tie fire and police de-
partments responded promptly. The
premises We're almost concealed oy
dense smoke, which was just lifting.
Il was SooN discovered that the house
inside was all abaZe and that the main
stairway WAS burnt, thus cutting otf
communication with the sleeping
apartments on tie second and third
floors. Several streams OF water were
D!ayc;i on the flames and every effort
was made t. check the tire aud rescue
the inmates.
TWO LADIES JUMP FKuM \ WINDOW.
Mrs. WiInerdiug; the Sccretary's
tau. .lItcr, ami Miss Wiimerdiny forced
their way through the binding smoke
and jumped from the second story
window front. Ladders were raised
for them, but in their excitement they
failed to see them. Mrs. Wilmerding
broke her left wrist and was severely
| bruised. Her daughter Was badly i'll
jureu about the lower limbs. but broke
no bones. They both suffered severely
from the shock. They We're taken at
once to the residence of DR.. Baxter,
hear 10y, and restoratives We're applied.
MRS. TRACY'S FATAL FALL.
While this sad scene was being enac-
| ted in front Of the house tlremen were
engaged in the sad task OF removing
other members of the family from the
rear.
Mrs. Tracy endeavored to escape by
dropping herself from her bed room
window, and in her effort to decrease
the distance to the ground she grasped
! the narrow window sill and lowered
| herself rs fur as she was able. Those
who saw her in this peril0us position
shouted 10 her to hold on, but either
she did not hear or her strength failed
her, for after thus hanging Il moment
between life and death, she fell forty
fest into an alleyway. She was lmme-
| diatciY taken to the house of d neigh
bOr, DR.. Rheem, and placed upon
| lounge in the sitting room. She was
perfectly conscious and did not seem to
suffer pain. Occasionally she COM
planned OF oppression i'll the neighbor-
hood of her heart and found difficulty
in breathing. She talked awhile,
coughed slightlyand thenbecamesilent.
The physicians looked at each other
significantly. Mrs. Tracy was dead.
Tie immediate cause Of death was sup
| posed to be from njuries to her heart,
sustained in her fail from the window,
which tl0oled her lungs with blood.
| Her body was soon removed to the
| residence Of Attorney General Miller
on Massachusetts Avenue.
MISS MARIE AND TIE FRENCH MAID.
Almost at the same time two bodies
We're taken from the burning building.
One was the Secretary's daughter,
Miss Marie, u young lady, and the
other WAS that of the French maid,
| Josephine That OF the former was
| ,ct, 1>-in, hn
floor in the second floor hall at the head
Of the stairs. The body was not greatly
d;stigurcd. She had evidently died Of
sutfocation. The chief lifted the life
less body in his arms, and although the
| staircase was ablaZe lac brought it safe
| ly out into the street.
THE sECRETARY'S NARROW ESCAPE.
Secretary Tracy himself had a most
| miraculous escape, and is now lying in
somewhat precarious condition atthe
residence of the Hon. J. G. Bancroft
| Davis, on H. street. near 18th street.
| Like all the others he was overcome IN
his sleep by the smoke, which filled the
i house and rendered him completely
| helpless. He was discovered i'll this
condition, and with considerable diff
Guilty was removed to place near one
of the windows. Cries for ladder
| were quickly answered, and many
willing hands We're raised to assist him
| to the ground. He was at once removed
to a neighbor's house, and was soon
surrounded by physicians including
Drs. Wales. He was suffering from
asphyXia.
The doctors applied artificial means
to induce respiration, and succeeded
after an hours work in restoring him
t. semi-consciouspess. 1t was then
thought safe to remove him to Judge
Davis house. He improved slowly
from that time and soon regalned con-
sciousness, recognizing friends who
called to inquire in regard to his condl-
ton. Among the first Of these were
the President, Nice-President and
several members of the Cabinet. The
full extent of his terrible atfllction Is
withheld from him. His first inquiry
upon recovering consciousness was in
regard to the safety of his family. He
is gradually gaining in strength, and
his friends are very sanglline OF his COM
plete recovery.
CONDITION OF SECRETARY TRACY.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 4.-Secretary
Tracy continues to improve slowly.
Many prominent people called at the
house during the morning and were
informed that the Secretary was getting
along nicely.
The physicians attending Mrs. and
Miss Nilderming said this morning
that their patients passed quite Il fair
night and are better to-day.
A Train Wrecker Caught in the Act.
Especial to the Register.]
GREENvILLE, S. G., Feb. IL. 5.