Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-22
A FATAL Fire IN NEW YORK
C. n. .Raymond's Mansion and
Its Contents Destroyed.
TWO KILLED; SEVERAL INJURED
A Servant Asphyxiated In the
Third Story.
Mrs. Raymond seriously Hurt and Her Sis
ter, Mrs. Underwood, Instantly Killed BY
Leapinr From windows MIR. Raymond
Overcome ny the Smoke. 4N

New York, Dec 20.-Two women
were killed and another was so severely
injured that she will die, as a result Of
fire at the mansion of G.. III. Ray
mohd, at West End avenue and
Seventy third street, early this morn
ing.
Mrs. Underwood, sister of Mrs.
Raymond, leaped from a second floor
window. Her head struck the sidewalk
and was crushed in, her death being
instantaneous. ~ !..;s
Mrs. Raymond followed Mrs. Under.
wood ont of the window, struck the
sidewalk and was picked up uneon-
sciotls.
Mr.. Raymond was carried from the
house, unconscious from smoke.
After the flames were extinguished
the body of Miss Harriet Fee was
found on the third floor OF the house.
She had been overcome by the smoke,
and perished.
The fire spread through the house
with great rapidity, running everything
in it, from basement to attic. A, superb
collection of pictures and tapestries
owned by Mr.. Raymond was destroyed.
The fire was discovered by some one
passing in the street, who saw flames
hbNi oIibho -NoiiihS lioill tilO lJAouildlb
I windows. When the firemen arrived,
they could not get into the building,
as the flames burst out in such q
volume that tho men were driven back.
Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond appeared at
windows of the third story front, and
| Mrs. Underwood at a second STORY win
dow. The doinestics and the butler
were not to be seen. The fremen
| managed to run a ladder to the upper
stories. William Doerr, a railway. con-
| ductor, volunteered to go up, and
started before he consulted with any
| one. Mrs. Raymond and Mrs. Under
| wood could be seen climbing out of
| the windows. and the firemen and the
crowd begged them to go back, but the
clambered through the window to the
sill. Doerr was half way up the ladder
when Mrs. Underwood jumped from
| the window sill, striking Doerr full in
| the breast and falling to the street,
| carrying Doerr with her. Then, Are
men rushed in, and bore away Mrs.
Underwood, whilc others rescued
Doerr. Mrs. Underwood was dead, and
ncerr was dying: Their skulls had
been crushed. Meantime, Mrs. Ray
| mond, who could not be restrained by
her husabhd, had jumped out Of the
window When picked up, she was
found tobe living, but it is feared she
is fatally hurt Mr. Raymond was
rescued by two firemen, who climbed
a ladder to the third story, reaching
Mr.. Raymond Just as he was overcome
| by the smoke.
Nothing had been seen of the
servants. Ferguson, the butler, had
| escaped by the rear. He slept on the
| top floor, and had rushed downstairs,
| to notify the others in tho house, when
| he heard the cries Of the people In the
street that the building was ablaze.
| The women servants We're already about
| the house, atwork. They ran upstairs.
and that was the last Ferguson saw Of
them. He tried to get back to the
rooms of Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond and
their guest, but smoke prevented him,
and he had to rush into the third story
rear, where there was the least smoky.
He climbed out on an extension, and
succeeded in crossing TO the next house.
His face was badly lacerated by failing,
while making his escape.
| After the fire had been subdued, the
body Of Miss Harriet Fec was found.
All the clothing had been burned of,
and tho corpse was black from the
| flames. Fa
A close search was mado for the other
servant, but she could not be found.
Some of the neighbors say that she
escaped.
Mrs. Underwood had come from Ohio
| to spend the holidays with her sister,
| Mrs. Raymond. The loss is s50,000.