Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-29
RNED TO DEATH
A Young Woman Loses Her Life Filling
Gasoline Store.
Brave Act of Ex-Congressman Lie
Fcvre and Others, Who Used Their
Coats to Quench the Flames.

One more fatality is to be charged to the
gasoline stove.
AS ex-Congressman Ben LIE Fevre, tall,
pcrtly and imposing, was walking down
9th street yesterday, there rushed out of a
stairway at No. 425 young girl all ablaze
and shrieking for help. The gallant Gin
cinnatian whirled about, took off his beaver
overcoat and wrapped it about the poor
girl, at the same time trying to beat out
the angry flames with mis- hands. Other
men came to his aid, and two more coats
were wrapped about the still blazing form.
One man seized blanket from a horse
standing at the curb, and threw that over
her.
BY this time an alarm of fire had brought
the engines and a large crowd of specta-
tors.
1t was found that the hospital patrol
wagon was what was needed instead of the
fire engines. There was no fire.
The young woman was Miss Phronie
Fletcher, who lived with Mrs. Anna Will
son as a companion In a fiat at 425 9th
street. Going out in the kitchen to prepare
dinner, the young woman had. tried to fill
the reservoir Of a gasoline stove without
extinguishing the jets The vapor of the
fluid ignited and set fire to her clothes.
Her efforts to put out the flames failed.
She ran into the sitting room, calling upon
Mrs. Wilson to save her. Mrs. Wilson
sprang up and pushed the girl into a cane
seat rocking chair and then ran to the bed
room for blanket to put about her. The
girl, unable to bear the awful pain, got up
and followed Mrs. Wilson, who tried to
throw the blanket around her. In her ter
rOr the suffering girl struggled and pre-
ve1ted her friend from helping her. Bits
of the burned clothing fell to the floor. 1t
began to look as il the house would he set
afire. This further alarmed Mrs. Wilson,
whose husband is an invalid unable to
leave his chair.
At length the girl broke away and dashed
down into the street, shriekng for help
with every step.
Soon after Col. LIE Fevre and the others
had put out the flames the first precinct
patrol wagon came up, and the blistered
and blackened form of the girl was put in
1t and taken to the Emergency Hospital.
For time it was reported that Mrs. Will
son was also badly burned, and the Emer-
gency patrol wagon was sent for to take
her to the hospital. Although Mrs. Wilson
was burned in her struggle with Miss
Fletcher. she was not seriously hurt, and
remained to care for her husband.
At the hospital Miss Fletcher was placed
under opiates to relieve her from the pain
Her sister, Mrs. Crane, was sent for and
spent the night with her. The young wo-
man told Mrs. Crane she would rather die
than live disfigured, as she must be. Yet
1t was found that her face had escaped the
names. Her body. however. was fearfully
burned. DR.. Perafter. who Tad charge of
the case, said at once there was but a
single chance in thousand for her re-
covery. She died at 1915 o'clock this morn
ing. 1t was a wonder, the doctor said, that
she lived as long as she did. Every part of
her body except the face scalp and bust
were burned. The legs and abdomen were
beyond ali possibility of healing. The shock
alone was enough to cause death.
Miss Fletcher's home Is at Granite
Springs, Spottsylvania county, Va Mrs.
Wilson spoke of the young woman in the
highest terms. She was a pretty girl, she
said, faithful. genuine and dutiful To Mrs
wilson and her friends the announcement
of Miss Fletchers death was a painful
shock. The remains will be taken to Vir-
gfnia for burial.