Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-07-08
DEADLY GASOLINE.
Wife of Captain Dickens, of the Unit
ed States Navy, Killed by an
EXPLOSION.


WASHINGTON, July Fire and explo-
sion in the residence of Captain Dickens,
of the United States navy, at 10;45 this
morning, resulted in the death of Mrs.
Dickens, who was fearfully burned, and
died before medical assistance could reach
her. Other persons about the house were
severely but not dangerously wounded.
The Dickens residence is a handsome
three story briok building on Nineteenth
street, directly back of the British EN-
bassy ana wirhin a few steps or Dupont
Circle. The first intimation of the fire was
a low rumble, followed by several violent
shocks, which blew out the entire third
story front of the residence. The firemen
made their way to the third story, and
among the debris, littSring the front room,
found the blackened corpse of Mrs.
Dickens. ' z-..-'--
1t appears that Joseph Vaughan, a
plumber, and his assistant were putting on
4 gutter 10 the rear of the third story
roof. Having completed the job, they de-
scended by means of ladder to the third
story. One of the men carried in his hand
lighted melting pot. AS he descended
Vaughan detected the strong fumes of gas
oline, and through the open door TO the
front room caught a glimpse of a woman
sprinklinS some liquid on the floor, with
the evident purpose of preparing to cleanse
II. He gave warning to his partner that
gasoline was being used, and that there
was danger from the tirepot, but at this
d
ally envelopins the entire third story in
mass of flames. Those outside the building
say there We're successive explosions, and
that the last ones We're SO sharp and Vio-
lent that they must have cCme from SOU
venir cartridges or other explosives.
Mrs. Dickens death was undoubtedly
caused by the explosion, and ii Is not be-
lieved she suffered any from the flames
which succeeded. The rescuers We're led TO
the spot by Plumber Vaughan, who was
himself badly burned about the face and
arms. He received these burns in an heroic
effort to rescue Mrs. Dickens. He and his
assistant had entered the room in which
Mrs. Dickens sat cleaning some rugs when
the explosion happened. The two men
were thrown down by the explosion.
Vaughan seized Mrs. Dickens and attempt
ed TO drag her from the room The flames
were, however so fierce that he was COM
PEELED to drop her and flee for his own
life. He thinks that she was then dead.
The explosion was of such force that 1t
rent the stone steps in front of the house.
The plumbers say that considerable guam
titles of the gasoline had apparently been
spilled upon the floor.
Captain Dickens is one of the best known
officers connected with the navy depart
ment and he was brought into prominence
at the time the Maine was blown up at
Havana. He was then acting chief of the
navigation bureau, and it fell to his lot to
receive the first dispatch from Captain
Sissbee giving information of that disas-
ter.
Mrs Dickens was an authoress of some
note, one of her best known books being
Around the World in Man-of- War"
She was also a frequent contributor to
magazines.
Mrs. C. F. Dickens, the wife of Captain
Dickens, killed by an explosion of gasoline
at Washington. was the niece OF Rev. Dr.
Jenkins, pastor of the Second Presbyterian
church, being, before her marriage, Miss
Marguerite Jenkins, born in Galveston,
Tex, when her father Mr.. Henry Jenkins
was banker there. Mrs. Dickens and her
uncle were in frequent correspondence and
he received a letter from her but q few
days since announcing that Captain Dick
ems had been appointed to the command
of one of the finest of the battleships, to
take charge the coming October.
| Both Captain and Mrs. Dickens had
tunes, and they were the most accomplish
ed Spanish scholars in the navy, so that
during the visit of the Duke OF Veragua
in 1893 they We're asked to take charge of
the ducal party and extend the courtesies
and hospitalities of the state toward them.
] Mrs. Dickens was a devout member of the
Episcopal church and very prominent in all
breaking out of the Spanish war to the
| hour of her death president of the Sol
| diers' Relief fund, of Washington. Cap
| tain and Mrs. Dickens had no. children.
| Miss Anna Jenkins, daughter of DR.. Jen-
kins, spent the Christmas holidays last
winter at their house. Her uncle was an
| ticipating great pleasure I'm seeing Mrs.
Dickens this coming September. when he
will go to Washington by appointment of
| the general assembly as one of the two
| delegates from Missouri TO the World g
| Council of Presbyterian Churches.