Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-13
WAS BURNED TO DEATH
Tragedy at the Residence of
William J. Bailey.
HIS MOTHER SAT NEAR STOVE
Clothing Of Woman Caught Fire With
Fatal Result.
CORONER ISSUES CERTIFICATE
Canary Bird in the Room Asphyxiated
Funeral Will Probably Occur
Next Monday.
CORONER ISSUES CERTIFICATE

Mrs. Harriet Bailey, seventy-f1ve years of
age, was burned to death while in her room
at the home of her son, William ]. Bailey,
an upholsterer, 9th street northeast, this
morning about o'clock. Her pet canary
bird, also in the room. was asphyxiated
The son was at a neighboring store at the
time, his wife being the only one in the
house with the exception of her mother
in-law
Mr.. Bailey this morning went to his
mothers room anil started fire in a small
stove, as had been his custom every morn
ing during the month that his mother had
resided at the house He then visited a
store in the neighborhood to make some
purchases.
The son had been away from the house
only a short time before his wife was at
tracted to the upper floor by hearing her
mother-in-law screaming for assistance.
The cries were not sufficiently loud to be
heard on the street by pedestrians who
were passing Hurrying to the upper floor
the young woman found that the elderly
Mrs. Bailey hal fallen with her head against
the stove and that her clothing and
spread she had about her were ablaze.
The unfortunate woman was in heap near
the door, making 1t almost impossible for
the daughter-in-law to enter the room. It
is thought that Mrs. Bailey, senior, was
dead by the time the younger Mrs. Bailey
reached the room.
Extinguished Blaze.
There was nothing that could be done by
the daughter-in-law to assist the victim.
so she hurried to find her husband. The
latter and neighbor responded and extin-
guished the blaze after they had thrown the
stove from the room. While that was being
done an alarm Of fire was sounded from
the ire department to the scene but the
blaze had been extinguished before the ar
rival of the firemen and there was nothing
feft for them to do. Fire Marshal Nicholson
made am investigation. An inquiry was
also made by the superintendent of the
morgue before he removed the body to that
institution to be viewed by the coroner
The deceased formerly resided with her
son, John F. Bailey, clerk In the War
Department, at Landover, Prince George
county Md, and later she stayed with a
daughter, at 121 Maryland avenue north
east. About a month ago the daughter
broke up housekeeping and then the mother
who was nearly blind. went to reside with
her son at the 9Th street house The elder
suffered from the cold and for that reason
her son had been in the habit of starting
tlre IN her room each morning before it
was time for her to arise.
Fell Against Stove.
1t was apparent from the condition of the
charred body that Mrs. Bailey went near
the stove and seated herself upon a coal
bod for the purpose of warming her back
having bedspread thrown over her Shout
ders. 1t is believed that the stove became
overheated and set fire to her clothing and
that Mhen Mrs. Bailey realized what was
the matter she became helpless and fell
backward against the stove When the
stove had been removed fro mthe room and
the son and the referred to neighbor had
thrown water enough upon the blaze to ex-
tinguish 1t, the body was found resting
across the coal bod, the feet being near the
door and the head almost directly over the
spot where the stove had stood.
The appearance of the fire department at
tracted large number of persons to the
vicinity of the house and many of them
loitered there until the body had been re-
moved to the morgue
Mrs. Bailey had been in the habit of car
ry1ng her money in purse suspended from
her waist The string that held the purse
to her belt was burned and the purse fell
upon the floor. Charred bills of the value
OF about $50 were taken from the purse
Coroner hewitt viewed the remains at the
morgue and reached the conclusion that an
inquest was Unnecessary A certificate of
accidental death was issued and the BODY
was taken in charge by an undertaken. It
is likely that the funeral will occur next
Monday.