The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-19

proprietors of the marble yard on North
Front street, this city, was in all prob
ability fatally burned in Charlotte on
Thursday night. His brother, Mr.. r..
D. Tucker, received a telegram from
Charlotte yesterday morning informing
him of the distressing occurrence, and
at 1920 d. m. he left for that city 70 go
to his brother.
Mr.. III. A. Tucker is a member of
Wilmington Lodge No. 139, |. o. .. F.,
and Captain J. M. MCGOWAN, the sec
retary Of the lodge, sent the following
telegram yesterday when he haired OF
tn accident:
Wilmington, n. c., September 10.
81. c. P-alamountain, Grand Guardian,
Charlotte, N. c.:
Brother H. A. Tucker, of Whining
tom Lodge, reported sevely injured.
Give him any attention required.
u. NJ. MCGOWAN.
Sec. Will. Lodge No. 139. l. o. o F."
HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
The Charlotte Observer of yesterday
gives the following account Of the ter
rible occurrence:
Zone of the most distressing affairs
recorded i'm the city in some time oc-
CURED last night at the Cha c Hotel.
Mr.. H. A. Tucker, of w Ton, was
the unfortunate victim. A lamp eX-
ploded in the room in which he was
sleeping, setting the bed on fire, and
burning Mr.. Tucker SO badly that It is
feared he cannot recover.
MIR. Tucker is a stone cutter ana
marble dealer. He came here ID place
a monument at the grave Of Mr.. W. w.
Pegram. He finished his work yester-
day, and intended returning TO lWl-
mir this morning. Last night he
paid his hotel bill, and told the clerk
to call him in time for the 5 o'clock
train, as he was going home. He oc-
cupied 16, on the second floor or
the building, in the corner next to the
city hall. Before going to his room, Mr..
Tucker stepped into the bar to say
goodbye to Mr.. Dam Troutmdr. whom
Re had known for 10 years.. He did not
take anything to drink, as he is not a
drinking man. After leaving MIR. Trout
man he went to the hotel Office ana
asked for a lamp. One was given MIN
that had no chimney on it. He o 1t
and WENT to his room. He put the
lamp on the corner of the mantel piece,
and after undressing, turned the lamp
down, but not out as he wanted a light
when he got up at 5 o'clock. There
were two beds in the room, and Mi.
Tucker got in the one over which there
was a mosquito met. He fell asleep be-
tween II and II o'clock. A few minutes
after II he awoke to find the bed on fire
and the net in a blaze. He sprang from
the ped, made a grab for his pants in
Whic was his money n tried TO get
the door open, so he could escape. he,
had, however, in coming out from under
the net, caught fire himself, and as hs
had some trouble in getting the door
open, the room being filled with smoke,
uhioh nroUonheH him Cn6nnp 11ICt Whpra
the key was, the flames were pretty
nigh e~nveloping him when he rushed
from the room out on to the balcony
o~verhanging the street. He made no
cutlery, but was fighting the fire with
both hands as he stood on the balcony.
DIR. McCCmbs was sitting in his room
in the Brown building, opposite, and
saw the frightful scene; Mr.. Alex Webb
vice-president of the North Carolina
Home Insurance Company, Of Raleigh,
and Mr.. Baxter Ross were leaving the
city hall, where they had BEEN to O
on at the german; Mr.. Vebor Asbury
and several other boys were playing
chess in the Hunt building-these all
saw the man rush out, a living lame or
fire. Mr.. Webb rushed toward the
stairway and fell just inside the door.
He got up and although hur1 himself,
ram up the steps. There he found an
other man, who, in trying to get 20 the
burning man, had fallen. MI. Webb
jumped over him and rushed on to the
balcony. Mr.. Vebor Asbury and an
other gentleman, who had heard the
cries There's a man ON fire." Put
the man out" followed him. Mr.. Webb
took off his coat, and threw 1t around
the burning man. At the same time he,
MIR. Asbury, and others began pulling
the mans clothes off-he had on only
his ulnderclothes. When Mr.. Webb
reached him he was painting for breath
and had nearly given UP. Quick T
iby the gentlemen named and others
who had come UP, got the burning
clothing off. Mn. Webb's hands were
painfully burned in the effort he made
to save the man. People who WERE
passing thought the hotel was on hire.
Policemen Farring ton and cunningham
who were ait the square Thought so, and
turned i'm the alarm. The key Went IN
the box all right, and the whistle blew.
the bell did not ring. The Nep-
tunes responded, but the white depart
ment did not hear the whistle.
I'm the meantime Mn. Moore, pro-
prietor of the hotel, had put out the
bed which was blazing brightly; physi-
clans had arrived and the SUFFERER was
taken back to his room and given QUICK
~attention. Those who saw him turned
AWAY with a shudder. The sight was
horrible. Pieces Of skin hung from
him as big as ones hand. His feet and
ankles were frightfully burned, also his
hands and his side. The burn in the
side is the most dangerous. The blood
was oozing constantly from this Wound.
Al grain and a half Of morphine was 60
ministered but had NO effect. The mans
sufferings were SO great that It took
three men to hold him in bed. Ihe Goc-
tors say he is seriously burned, They
could not tell last night whether ne
would recover Or not His brother, MT.
Robert Tucker, who lives in Whining
tom, was wired for and will come on
the first train
"When Mr.. Tucker retired he left the
lamp burning. AS it had no chimney.
the wind blew the blaze down in the
lamp, causing lit to explode, and set
the bed ON fire. The lamp was broken
into bits. If there had been no mos
quito met, Mr.. Tucker would probably