Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-31
BURNED TO DEATH.
1 Terrible Accident in Petersburg
Yesterday.
Mrs. FortcsaUe Whitsse's sad Fasc-
The Result Of y Gasoline Expl0-
sion-Hcr Child and Faithful Nurse
injured-Lattcr Fatally Perhaps.

PETERSBURG, VA. October D.-(Spe-
aLt-One OF the most distressing acct
dents known in Petersburg In many
years occurred this morning shortly
after IL o'clock at the residence OF Mr..
Fortesque Whittle. at the corner or
Adams and Marshall streets. Mr.. Whitsc
left his happy family at the usual hour
for business this morning, and vent to
Richmond on the 1o;+5 train, expecting to
return to his household in the afternoon
Instead he returned on special train
to find his wife dead and the youngest or
his children badly injured.
BURNED TO DEATH.
shortly after II O'Clock the alarm or
fire was sounded. and the department.
quickly responded. The alarm pJv-
ceeded from 9he residence of Mr.. For
tesque Whit,le. where. before the arrival
Of the department. a sad scene OF Death
and injury had occurred.
IL seems that in the library OF the
residence Mrs. WhiItle was engaged IN
cleaning some articles wfth gasoline. q
can OF which had bur recently been
brought and placed In the room. There
We're present besides Mrs. Whittle Miss
Lucy Stone. an intimate acquaintsnce,
Anna Claiborne, the trusted colore1
| nurse, and the youngest child OF Mrs.
| Whitte. How the accident occurred Is
no, definitely known. II is thought how
ever that the vapor from tho volatile
| oil had filled the room and was sst
! ablaze and exploded by the fire I'm the
| crate, causing a name which set firs
81, oil lt,r. nff
| .roomk. Mrs. Whittle evidently met ~
! very quick death. her body being found
burned almost beyond recognition. She
| was. doubtless, enysOped In flames By
| the explosion of the gas, and sank at
! once beneath the effects.
| Mr.. \. W. Burgess, letter-oirrier
| who was delivering mail in the vicinity
az the time. was almost the frst person
! 10 enter tho house.
HIS STATEMENT.
! lie makes the following statement:
II was unlocking the letter-box at the
( corner of Marshall and Sycamore streets
| when 1 heard a noise and some ore
| scream 'murHer,' saw Miss Lucy Stone,
| with something in her arms. run across
the street. ! ran down TO Mr. whittIe's =
| residence and met the nurse coming ont
4 OF the door. screaming and wringing her
hands. | went into the hall and tried to
| enter the library. but the smoke was 80
! dense | became stlned and was forced To
, retire. | came back out on the street and
met Mr.. Harcourt Lees and said to him.
! Come in quick and lers find IL there Is
| any one else here. Mr.. Lees ran up
| stairs and l ran across the street and
f., asked Miss Lucy Stone who else was
| there. She said Mrs. Whittle was in the
| library. Nr. Lees and myself tried again
! "a r.
was still very dense He entered the back
door and ] went through the front door.
After the smoke had cleared away so we
could see. We found Mrs. Whittls behind
the door her clothes burning. When wa
reached her she was still alive. A color
7 ed man entered the room about that time
| with pan or water in his hands. We
! told him 10 throw some on the burned
I lady's clothing. As he did so she gave
! Two gasps. turned and met Mr.. Lees.
From her position behind the door
should say she was in the act OF rushing
! from the room. but was blinded by the
smoke and could not IND the door, and
| thus persisted In the flames"
Miss Lucy Stone seized the baby and
1 rushed from the room, her clothes being
! ablaze. She was, fortunately. met By "A
| gentleman who succeeded In quenchl1r &
! her burning clothes and she was sent
yerely burned about the hands. arms.
! and face. but II H. hoped not seriously.
| The child WAS also very painfully burned.
FATALLY. PERHAPS.
The colored nurse. Anna Claiborne, for
| many years faithful attendant In thu
family. was very badly. and. II is feared.
! fatally burned
Mr.. Whittle. shortly after his arrival
/. in Richmond. was informed OF the ac-
. cident. and returned To his bcrsaved homa
( as soon as he could secure a specia
/ engine. HIS veDrrable father. Bishop T..
| Mrs Whittle was the daughter OF Mr..
! n. l.. Plummer. OF this city. She leaves
| three chiliren-two boys and a girl. Tho
| two former happened to be- away from
| home at the time OF IN. accident. She
! was a most lOvatle wife and Christian
/ lady. and widely known and respectful.
( 3iiss Lucy Stone IL one of the most popu.
/ lar young ladies In the city and he
! misfortune causes general regret.
/ The terrible accident has been the
J cause or sorrowful comment all day.
LATEST FROM THE SUFFERERS.
! PETERSBURG, October 20. o.-lSpecial. >
: The condition of Miss Stone and the
/ infant child OF Mrs. WhIttle are regarded
as favorable 10 q recovery tonight az
I both are resting well. and the physical NJ
/ IN attendance have pronounced them out
of danger Anna Claiborne. the coIorel
nurse. IL sinking very rapidly. and her