The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-01-13

Fumes, Attended to
the Saving of Her Childrcn-The
Second Buffers Peril.
New York, ian 10.-The handsome
dwelling of Joseph Pulitzer, the pro-
prietor of the New York World, in
East Fifty-ffth street, was destroyed
by fire, and at least two lives were lost.
The Housekeeper Burned.
When the flames had been extin-
guished and a search was made of the
ruined interior, the bodies of two wom-
IN were found, badly burned. One
body was identified as that of the
housekeeper, Mrs. Jelle:t. In one hand
was firmly clutched a small bag, into
which, it is believed, she tried to thrust
some of her personal effects before
leaving her room.
The G~Overness. Too.
The other was the governess, Miss
Elizabeth Montgomery.
At the time the fire began there were
in the house Mrs. Pulitzer. her daugh-
tiers, Edith, IA years of age, and Con-
stance, IL, and Mrs. Pulitzer's infant
ton, two months old, and p servants.
Nj. Pulitzer and his son, Joseph, Jr.,
are al Lockwood.
Asleep With Her Daughters.
Mrs. Pulitzer was asleep with her
w daughters, Edith and Constance,
on the second floor. On the floor
above were the nurse, with the baby.
Mrs. Pulitzer was awakened, at 1850
q. m, by a cracking noise. She de-
tected the smell of smoke. and almost
Immediately afterward the electric
fire alarm sounded. Mrs. Pulitzer ran
to one of the doors of the room, but
found it locked. The other was open,
and taking her children, she started
down stairs, shouting the alarm.
Went Rack For the Babe.
After placing Edith and Constance
in the street she hurried up to the
third foor and found the nurse with
the babe in her arms, about to get put
on the fire escape. The woman was
hysterical.
Mrs. Pulitzer quoted the nurse, took
the baby from her and together they
went to the street.
The Second Buffers Peril.
John O1Connor. the second butler,
had e narrow escape. He slept on the
top fioor with another servant. He was
aroused by Mrs. Pulitzer's cries and
finding the smoke coming thickly up
ward, walked out along the window
ledge to the roof of the next house. No.
II, the residence of Alexander Matt
land. O'Connor says he was overcome
by the smoke and sank down when he
reached a place of safety. His conn.,
%panions revived him and assisted him
TO the street.
Origin Of the Fire
The origin of the fire is unknown,
but it is thought it must have started
in the basement or in the lower story
by defective electric insulation. Ii
spread with great rapidity, and went
straight upward, and in a short while
was blazing from the roof.
of Value Saved.
The firemen. realizing that the house
could not be saved, devoted their en-
ergies to adjoining property.
The house contained a valuable his
torical library and many carefully-se-
lected works of art. Nothing of value
was saved.
The total loss is estimated at $780,.
0cO.
The body Of the governess. Miss
Montgomery, was not discovered for
several hours. 1t was found on the
ruins on the third floor. The
had only time TO put on a skirt and
bathrobe with a pair of slippers before
she was overcome. Her body was not
badly burned, showing that she had
probably been suffocated.
Fir@men In Peril.
While the firemen of Engine No. 40.
in charge of Lieut.. Harry Hauck. were
at work on the third floor, after the
fire was out, at 1915. the flooring gave
way and let them all-about a dozen
men-fall to the second floor. All but
Hauck escaped injury. and he sus-
sained a liberation of M leg.
The fire spread rapidly after its.
start. The firemen sent in a second
and then a third alarm, bringing a
great number of engines and other ap-
paratus to the scene.
Mira PuIitz-r's jewels.
Mrs. Pulitzer. vino is = niece of JEFF.
ferson Davis, had a number Of jewels.
in q safe in the house, which was
buried in the ruins. She said that ey-
erybody had time to get out of the
house after the fire started.
The building was completely Quilted
by the fire, none of the stairways be-
ing left. and the rooms being burned
out. The contents were an entire loss,
and these alone, it was estimated were
worth S150,OO