The age-herald., 1899-07-08
MRS. DICKENS
 BURNED TO DEATH Nile Of Captain in Navy Department Meets Horrible Fate. EXPLOSION OF GASOLINE Two WOrkmen Were Leaving House
 With Fire Pot WHEN EXPLOSIVE WAS IGNITED After the Fire Had Been Distinguished the Charred and Burned Re-
 mains of Unfortunate Mrs.
 Dickens Were Found
WHEN EXPLOSIVE WAS IGNITED

washing ton July fire and explosion In the residence of Captain Dickins of the United States navy, at 10:45 this morning, resulted in the death of Mrs. Dickins, who was fearfully burned, and died before med- ical assistance could reach her. Other per sons about the house were severely but not dangerously wounded.
 The Dickins residence is handsome three-story brick building on Nineteenth street, directly back of the British embas- sy and within few steps of Depont Circle. The first intimaton 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 de- oris Httering the front room found the blackened corpse of a woman.
 Explosion and Fire
 From the details of the accident, as learned from those in the house at the time, 1t appears that Joseph Vaughan, plumber, and his assistant were putting on a gutter to the rear of the third story roof. Having completed the job they were de- scending 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 door to the front room caught glimpse of a woman sprnk- ling some liquid on the floor with the evil dent purpose of preparing to cleanse it. He gave notice to his partner that gasoline was being used and that there was danger from the fire pot; but at this instant a terrific explosion occurred, literally envel- oping the entire third story in a mass of flames. Those outside the building say there were successive explosions, and they were so sharp and plain that they must have come from souvenir cartridges or other explosives. The two men succeeded in making their way to the rear windows where they got on a one-story house and thence to the ground. They were severely burned about the hands and face.
 The most sorrowful scene occurred in connection with the recovery and identi- fication of Mrs. Dickins' body. In the midst of the greatest excitement the first report was that the blackened body in the upper story was that of the wife of dis tinguished admiral of the navy He was summoned from his home nearby and not only detected the mistake, but also gave the first definite information that Mrs. Dickins was the one so horribly burned. Word was sent to the naval department where Captain Dickns is next to Admiral Crowinshield at the head of the bureau of navigation.
 Found His Wife Dead The exact character of the catastrophe was not made known to him, but he was brought hurriedly to the Dickins residence in carriage. He almost tainted as he was helped from the carriage up the stone entrance steps.
 Going inside, he identified the body as that of his wife. The body of Mrs. Dick ins was borne to the next house, where a surgeon of the navy resides.
 The suddenness and fatal effects of the fire are somewhat similar to those attend ing the fatality at the residence of Secre- tary Tracy some years ago, which was not far from the scene of the present horror.
 Captain Dickins 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 Sigsbee giving information of that disaster.
 Mrs. Dickins was an authoress of some note, one of her best-known books being Around the World In a Man-of War" She was also a frequent contributor to magazines.