The Iola register., 1891-02-13
WHITE HOUSE ILL LUCK.
Deaths and Accidents that have Occurred
to the Families of the Present Ad-
ministration at Washington.


mInistratIon at Washington.
A remarkable fatality seems to attend
The Cabinet household of President
Harrison. Within twelve months death
has come with little or no warning to
the families of three members OF the
Administrative Council. First, Secre-
Blaine lost two of his children. While
the mourning wreaths laid by loving
hands on Walker Blaine's grave were
vet green. and before the body of Mrs.
Coppinger had been assigned to
earth, Death struck again at Cabinet
members family this time in manner
that appalled, the Nation. Secretary
Tracy lost his wife and daughter in the
fatal fire that destroyed his home. That
he himself escaped was nothing short
of miraculous, and his remaining
daughter, with her child, only gained
complete health again after hard
struggle.
And last Thursday night, almost on
the first anniversary of the Tracy
tragedy, the grim destroyer came again
this time to carry off the chief member
"a Cabinet Minister-Secretary Win
dom. In brilliant banqueting hall,
surrounded by friends and admirers,
with the music of applause ringing in
his ears, the distinguished head OF the
Treasury Department received the last
summons and crossed the Great Di-
vide.
Such series of fatalities during a
single Administration is unprecedent-
ed.
WALKER BLAINE NO. |.
Walker Blaine's death was the first
in the list that has kept Washington
almost constantly in mourning for a
year. 1t occurred on Jan. 10, 1890, four
hours before midnight. Mrs. Blaine
had just put on mourning for a dead
sister, and there had been an almost
continuous sick watch in her family
since the preceding spring. He ewas the
last of the family to be attacked. No
one expected his illness to terminate
fatally. He had met with an accident
and when convalescing contracted the
all-prevalent grip" Almost before
his attendants realized the danger he
was dead.
When his death was announced the
entire country was shocked. He had
been the most prominent member OF the
Blaine household next to his father.
He was law officer and examiner OF
claims for the department of state, and
IN the high road to proud career in
the field so long graced by his father.
From her sons funeral she went al
most direct to the bedside of her
daughter, Mrs. Coppinger. When she
left her post, it was only to prepare for
another burial. Tender nursing, unre-
hitting attention and the best medical
service were all unavailing. The grim
destroyer came at $50 o'clock in the
morning of Feb. 2.
DEATH FOLLOWS DEATH.
While the people of the national
capital were discussing this second affiic-
tion for the secretary of state, the aw-
full calamity that awOke the sympathy
of the civilized wOrld-the burning of
Secretary Tracy's house-occurred.
On the morning of Feb. 3, shortly
after o'clock, Secretary Tracy's resi-
dence on Farragut Square took fire.
The fire, caused by defective fiue. had
apparently been smoldering all night.
in by those who discovered the place to
be burning, the flames burst out in al
directions.
Mrs. Tracy, who was an invalid, lost
her life in endeavOring TO save her hus-
band. She had awakened to find her
husband unconscious. lmbued with
unusual strength by reason of her peril.
she dragged the Secretary to the win
dow and cried for help. Fireman came
and carried out the unconscious states.
man. When they returned Mrs. Tracy
was missing. 1t afterward transpired
that, dazed by the smoke and the efforts
to rescue her husband, she climbed out
of rear window and hung there from
the sill. Not strong enough to hold
herself up for any length of time, she
fell to the area below. Bystanders car
ried her form to the house of a neigh
Dor, where she died few hours after
ward.
Miss Mary Tracy was found suffocated
in the hallway in front of her parents
bedroom, and a French maid was burned
almost to a crisp in her apartment up
stairs.
1t was the most shocking incident
that had appeared in Washington for
many years, and cast a gloom over the en-
tire country. Political friends and
political enemies combined 10 their eff
forts to extend sympathy to The afflicted
Chief of the Naval Department and
messages of coincidence were sent from
nearly every civilized country in the
world.
THE FATAL PORTFOLIO.
q h. 1f L.,
Window. A feature that is pointed
out as remarkable is that the two gen.
tlemen who held the Treasury portfolio |
under the two preceding administra-
tiOns also died after very short illness. |
Secretary Folger of President Arth- |
ur's Cabinet and Secretary Manning OF
President Cleveland's Cabinet broke |
down under the severe strain of the
work of the Treasury Department, and
now that Mr.. Window is dead, too.
color is lent to the theory
hat the burdens of the Office, as it is
today, are too heavy for any man to
larry.
Another circumstance connected with |
Mr.. WINDOWS taking off that has
caused comment is the fact that there
we're thirteen guests at the banqueting
able where he sat. The table, which
vas on raised dais, was arranged as
ollows: The Hon. NJ. w. Cooper, the
Hon. Joel B. Erhardt, the Hon. Jacob
A. Cautor, the Hon. Murat Halstead,
he Hon. J. w. Longley the Hon. B.
?. Tracy. the Hon. William Window,
Ambrose Snow, the Hon. T. F. Bayard,
he HOn. w. II. H. Miller the Hon.
Nilfrid Laurier, the Rev. DR.. ID. Park
II Morgan, the Hon. Andrew III. Green.
This peculiar coincidence will prob
.bly give fresh impetus to the old
about thirteen at table.-N.
7. Continent.