The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-10
AN ACTRESS IN FLAMES.
Pretty Mary Birds Frightfnl Experienc

Pretty Mary Birds Frightful Experience
ut Cincinnati.
Those who witnessed the performance OF
"a Straight Tip" at the Grand Monday
evening, says the Cincinnati Enquirer, were
particularly struck with the acting Of Miss
Mary Bird as the Irish cOmedienne-Mrs.
DOlan. She was happy in her part and i'm
pressed the observing ones of the audience
with the belief that her natural disposition
was just as merry and gOOd-natured as that
assumed upon the stage.
A half hour after she left the stage. after
the performance, the happy little artist met
with serious. perhaps fatal accident,
She is boarding at HexteI's Hotel. and
was about to retire for the night when her
clothes caught fire and burned her BODY in
most pIt1able manner. She occupies Room
l., on the third floor. Just at d quarter TO
Il o'clock several ladies aud gentlemen who
had gone to their rooms on that HJ0r were
startled by the screams Of a woman who
was evidently in the deepest of distress.
The cries rang through the halls aud were
heard even down in the Office. The night
clerk and a number of the guests lmmedi-
ately rushed toward the location Of the
sound and were startled at once to see
sight which none of them will BE- likely to
ever forget Miss Bird, envel0ped in
flames, was descending the stairs at a rapid
rate, at the same time calling for help. One
of the men tried 10 grasp her by the arm,
so inst he could throw something about
her TO smother the flames. but she was so
frightened that she jumped a way from him
and continued to shout for water.
She did not stop until she reached the
Tesdmg-rOOm downstairs. She was there
confronted by the clerk. who had procured
a pitcher Of water which he Immediately
dashed in the unfortunate wOman's face
and over her body. By this time a dozen
persons of both sexes had also reached the
first floor with pillows, blankets and other
articles with which TO stay the flames.
In a moment Miss Bird was all but
buried beneath a shower of bed-clo thing.
She sank down under the load into uncon-
seriousness, and DR.. A. Z. Evans OF Seventh
street was huTriedly summoned. When he
arrived the woman had been carried upstairs
TO her room again. Dr. Evans made a hasty
examination of her injuries and immediately
began applying soothing remedies. Miss
Bird was badly burned about the breast,
stomach and back, but the doctor was OF
the opinion that she had not swallowed any
of the flames.
Some time alter the terrible accident Miss
Bird regained consciousness and was able
to tell how the fire was started. She is
in the habit Of applying lotion to her
face and hands Just before retiring. The
lotion is composed partly Of alcohol and
ether and Is very cOmbustible. She said
lNdL sue HdU Just uSeu oOHe VI IL anu WAS
driving one hand at the stove with the
opened bottle IN the other. In an instant
tie bottle was exploded aud the contents
flew all about her, setting her gown on fire.
william n. Sherwood.
There will appear in concert here this
week an American artist, whose name has
found an echo in every city of any size in
Europe and America Mr.. William II.
Sherwood, one of the gTandeSt pianists living,
whose wonderful performances in Germany,
the cradle Of music, called forth the most
enthusiastic eDcOmiums, both from the press
and the people, will make his first bow to
San Francisco audience at the Metropolitan
Temple on Tuesday evening, January 18th,
under the auspices OF Mr.. Marcus NJ.
Henry. AS an Interpreter Of music the
Berlin Post says: 1--WE must honor Mr..
Sherwood as among the most eminent
pianists Of the present age" BE will APP
pear in but two concerts. Attic first, which
takes place Tuesday evening, the following
programme will be rendered:
Beethoven--SO Sonata, minor. Oh. Ill (his last
piano sonata; tG) MaestosO, Allegro con brio ed
appasSionato; (b) Arletta, AdagiO motto sempltee
No. 6. Alexis Hollaender-MarclI In ID fat OPP.
80. CbOpin-Badde in 1at, OPP. At.
Paganini- List La Campanea." Edgar
S. Kelly" Royal Gaelic March" Mac
William II. She woodbury. Broom" minuet.
Op. IA, No *"Ethetinda," Op. IA. No. ?. Gott-
schalk - "TTemOlo." Moszkowski - Moment
Musicale" Op. 7, No. (ediIed by William Ii.
SheLwood). Raf."La Fileuse;" Gounod, List
Zauber," from Die Walkure." Llszt-PolOnaIse
.Those marked with star are rendered for