Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-02-05
A TERRIBLE FATE.
The Wife, Daughter aud Servant Of
Secretary Tracy Burned to
Death.
The Secretary Himself Had Narrow
Escape and is Now in a Crit.
ical Condition.
Terrible Blow to See. Tracy.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 3.-Mrs. Tracy,
wife Of Sec. Tracy, Miss Tracy, his
youngest daughter, and Josephine, the
French maid, rs the result Of q IRE In
Sec. Tracy's house this morning, now
lie dead. Sec. Tracy is in a stupor,
suffering from the effects of inhsling
smoke. Mrs. Wilderming, the eldest
daughter of See. Tracy. Is in a semi.
concious condition. suffering from a
sprained wrist and soreness. Miss
Alice Wilderming, thirteen years OF
age, Mr.. Tracy's granddaughter, is
suffering from nervous prostration.
About 2 o'clock this morning flames
were seen issuing from the windows
and roof of Sec. Tracy's handsome
residence, No. 1884 / street northwest.
The flames gained hesdway rapidly
and although the fire department re.
sronded promptly the residence was
in flames when they arrived. Several
streams were placed on the flames and
every effort was made to check the
fire aud rescue the inmates. A scene
of the widest confusion ensued when
il was known that all the members of
the family were in the house. The
firemen behaved like heroes in the
emergency and
WENT THROUGH FIRE AND SMOKE
searching for them In their different
apartmeDl Mrs. Wilderming. the
secretsry's daughter, and Miss Wilder.
ming forced their way through the
blindifg smoke and jumped from the
second story window in front and
were badly injured by the fall. Lad.
ders were raised for them, but In their
excitement they failed to see them
While this scene was being enacted In
front Of the house, firemen were en-
gagged In the task of rescuing the other
members of the family from the rear.
Chief Engineer Parish found his way
to Mrs. Trscy's bed room and found
her lying In her bed overcome by suf-
location. He carried her to the win.
dow and with the assistance of Others.
carried her almost lifeless down the
ladder and up sn alley to the house Of
Mrs. Rheim, on Eighteenth street.
She was then entirely unconscious,
and although every effort known to
medical science was used, II was inn
pos. lble to save her life. She died
within few minutes after her rescue.
She vas not burned, but died from
suffocation. Almost at the came time
two more bodies were taken from the
burning building. One was that of
the secretary's daughter Miss Marie,
and the other was that Of an old ser.
want. The bodies were burned to 0
crisp and were unrecognizabla by
their features. Miss Tracy's body
was distinguished from the other only
by the superior texture Of what re-
mained OF her stockings.
THE cHARREp REMAINS
were taken to an undertsker's estab-
lishment In the vicinity, where they
were Joined soon after by the remains
Of Mrs. Tracy. Sec. Tracy had most
wondrous escape and is now lying In .
precarious condition at the residence
Of Hon. Bancroft Davis, on H street
near Eighteenth street. He was suf.
fsring from ssphyxiatiop. The doc
tors applied artificial means to induce
respiration, and succeeded after hours
Of worx In restoring him to semi-
conciousness. II was then thought
safe to remove him to Judge Davis
house. He improved slowly from that
time on and soon gained consciousness,
recognizing friends who called.
Amonp the first Of these were the pres
ident, vice-president and several
members Of the cabinet. The full ex.
tent of his terrible sfiilctions were
withheld from him for . time. His
first inquiry upon recovering ooncious.
ness was In regard TO the safety Of hls
family. Miss Tracy died from suffo-
cation. Mrs. Tracy was found TO have
died from the rupture Of blood vss.
eel. Their bodies were taken to Attor.
ney- General Miller's house this after.
noon. His greatest anxiety was In
regard to his wife.
SAVE HER! SAVE HERp'
he cried, and then reiapsed into q stats
Of insensIbility, Itlssted but a short
time, however, and he again called
out TO the doctors to leave him and
save her. He subsequently, inquired
for his daughter and told the doctor
she too must he saved. Finally Il was
4.