Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-21
HORRIBLE DEATH.
Mrs. Julia S. Abbott Perishes in
the Flames.
One of the Most :Heart-Rending Acct
dents that Has Occurred in Clarks-
vile in Many Years.
CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.

Last night between eight and nine
o'clock the bells called the fire de-
partment to one of the most heart
rending fires that has occurred in
GAINESVILLE in many years.
1t was at the residence of Mrs.
Julia S. Abbott, on Spring street,
near the freight depot, and the life
of that lady, who had lived to ripe
old age, passed out in sheet of
fame.
Mrs. Abbott and her daughter,
Mrs. Julia Barrett, of Senaca Falls,
n. Y, and her two little children
were in the house at the time. Their
nearest neig hbUr was Mr.. Pat Sulli-
van, who lived in the adjoining
yard. At Mr.. Sulivan's Mrs. Mike
Shea, an aged woman without means
or relatives, whom Mr.. and Mrs.
Sullivan were caring for, had just
died, and kind hands were robing
her body for the grave, when Mrs.
Barrett ran in with the startling in-
teIligence that her mother was
burned up. Mr. Sullivan ran to his
neighbours, and rushing into Mrs.
Abbolt'5 room was met by sitting
smoke and glare of flames. In front
of the CRATE, he1 clothing almost
burned off, was the form of Mrs.
Abbott in rocking chair. Mrs. Alb
bolt was already dead, and grasping
the chair in which she sat Mr.. Suili
van pulled it into the hall and with
a bucket of water eXtinguished her
burning garments. Then grabbing
another bucket of water he threw it
on the carpet and floor, which were
burning briskly, and with the help
Of Mrs. Sullivan, who appeared on
the scene, he dragged the lifeless
body of Mrs, Abbott from the build
ing and into the street, from whence
it was tenderly carried to his home.
The flesh upon the limbs and breast
was burned to a crisp,
A crowd quickly gathered aud at.
tention was turned to saving the
building, and in IA few minutes it
was thought that the fire had been
eXtinguished But later on flames
burst from the roof, showing the fire
was inside the wall, and it required
strong effort on the part of the de-
partment to save the house, which
was done, though in a damaged con.
ditiOn.
Just how the fire caught is not,
and perhaps never will be, known.
1t was the general impression that,
as Mrs. Abbott was sitting before the
fire, coal fell out Of the CRATE and
set fire to her garments but the fact
that the floor was found to be burn
ing underneath, and that the fam es
ran up between the Notwithstanding
and pIastering after the fire was
thought to have been suhdued, leads
to the belief that it caught beneath
the floor, and burning through was
communicated to the unfortunate
woman's garments. Mrs. Abbott
must have been asleep at the time,
for, though quite an old lady, she
was in fairly good health and active,
and had she not been smOthered by
the flames before becoming aware of
their presence, she would have cried
out and made some effort to escape.
Mrs. Abbott was about 66 years
old, and had lived in this city
for many years. She was the widow
of the late Florence Abbott, and the
mother of Florence f. Abbott, of
the firm of Wood q Abbott, this city,
and of Rev. L. G. Abbott, pastor ofSt. |
Patrick's Catholic church, Nashville,
Mrs Edward Welch, this city, and
Mrs. Julia Barrett, of SenaCa Falls, |
n. Y, besides whom she has a
daughter in Ireland. Mrs. Abbott |
was born in County of Cork, Ireland,
where she was married to a Mr..
O'Neal, who died on board ship |
on their way to America and was
buried at sea. She was afterWard |
to Mr.. Abbott, who proceed
ed her to the grave a number of years.
Mrs. Abbott's body was taken to
the residence OF Jos. Boillin, on
Second street, last night. The fune-
raj will be preached at the Catholic
church tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock, by Rev. Henry Japes, In-
termcnt in the city cemetery.
She was devout Catholic and
a most excellent woman.
A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
Last night was a fearful time for a
fire, and the fireman who responds
10 his call To duty at such a time,
'ocos dangers that lew people realize.
Al best !ocomoton on streets as slick
Is glass is difficult and sometimes
and it is almost imposSi-
ple to control the heavy apparatus Of
l fire department and conduct it
,afeIy through such an ordeal as that
presented last night, to say nothing