The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-08
DEADLY GASOLINE.
Explosion Causes the Death Of a
Washington Society Leader,
CAPTAIN F. W. D1CK1Es BEREFT.

Plumbers Lighted Metal Pot, Taken
Into Room Whore Mrs. DiclSins
Was Using the Fluid, Brought Death
and Destruction
Washington, July S.-Oflcial and un-
/ official Washington alike were shocked
/ yesterday by the tragic death from an
explosion of gasoline at her home, just
west of the British embassy, of Mrs.
Marguerite Dickins, one of the best
known women in social, literary and
: charitable circles In Washington, and
wife of Captain Francis w. Dickins, of
the navy, who received the first official
news of the blowing up of the battle
ship Maine in Havana harbor. The !
accident had many distressing features, I
and came as a fearful blow to Cap
tain Dickins, who was suddenly sum-
moned home from the navy depart |
ment to find his wife dead and the |
upper part of his house a wreck
The Dickins house is at 1894 Nine |
teenth street, in the fashionable part |
of town, being only a block from Du-
pont Circle. A small room at the head |
of the stairs on the third floor is used
as a storeroom. Mrs. Dickins decided
to pack away for the summer some
rugs that were there, and to keep
moths from them she saturated them
with gasoline. This had collected in
pools ON the floor. A plumber and
his assistant we're at work on the roof
of the house repairing a spout. They
descended from the roof of the house
with hot metal pot while Mrs Dick
ins was at work preparing the rugs
for storage. The fumes of the gaso-
line filled the room In which she was
working end permeated the whole of
the upper floor The plumber, Joseph
Vaughn, detected the presence of the
volatile fluid, but almost on the In
stant that he cautioned his assistant
there was a terrific explosion, wreck
ing the upper part of the house, and
flames breaking out Immediately,
} An open gasoline can was alongside
{ of Mrs, Dickina, 80 that the gas being
! thickest near her she received the
S worst shock of the explosion. The
+ plumbers were knocked down by the
t shock The helper, named Cook,
e quickly recovered, rushed down stairs,
e closing the door behind him. The
t screams of Mrs Dickins recalled him,
S and he aided Vaughn In an effort to
rescue the now unconscious woman.
'e They made several attempts to get her
i out of the room, but the passageway
" was narrow and they were soon forced
N to retreat. Vaughn, before leaving,
'p5 placed a blanket over her form, and
Is his helper returned with a fire ex-
q tinguisher, whose contents he emptied
e5 over her, but neither expedient was
40 successful in saving he rifle. They
e were both burned in the attempt to
re save her.
m The fire department was soon on the
IT scene and extinguished the flames
II They found the burned and blackenet
a body of Mrs. Dickins at the door Of
nse the room in which she had been a
th work and removed 1t to the residence
nd of DIR. William S. Dixon, another nava
a. officer living next door. Life was ex
n, tinct and the face so burned that 1
ma was only by pieces of her dress tha
ne lrs the servants were able to identify Mrs
cal Dickins. The upper part of the hous
II was found to have been badly wrecke'
~ ~ inside and outside. Valuable bric-a
ave brac. furniture and curios collected II
put all parts of the world, making tn
s., house one of the most artistic an
It'll beautiful homes in the city, were ir
his reparably damaged. The money los
fs, is estimated at $4,000 or more. Cap
1t, tain Dickins was on duty as assistan
fg chief of the bureau of navigation whe
the explosion occurred. He was hast
ly summoned home, and did not knQ'
Of his wife's death until he reache
there. The shock prostrated him, an
he is now under physicians care, h
nervous system being broken down b
his terrible misfortune.
"a Mrs. Dickins was a daughter {
- Charles f. Bates, we'll known res
- dent of New York city, and was ma
d. ried to Captain Dickins In 1878 at New
nd port. r. l. They had no children. ST
lf- was an enthusiastic member of the HI
is name society, and during the sevel
nd storms of last winter and other yea
he she sought out and helped with foe
nd and clothing many homeless and hun
a. ery persons She was a well know
eas contributor to magazines and the a.
- thor of some books, the best known
III which is "Along Shore With a Man-o
War"
In society Mrs. Dickins was vel
popular. She was one of the ladi
4s who accompanied the Duke and Due
;. ess of Veragua on their trip throut
the United States and to the Colur
- bian exposition at Chicago. She W
an active member of the Daughters
the American Revolution, which W
- take special action regarding her deaf
During the Spanish-American W
n she was one of the most active of
" local committee which did good wo
" In securing delicacies and caring I
a %. the sick and wounded soldiers w
,sSs passed through Washington from Gu
.sRS 1Hss ar the military camps in the south.
His Life was Saved.