Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-23
WIFE, IN NIGHT ROBE,
AND DAUGHTER ESCAPE
Statesman Believed to Have Lost
Life Trying to Save Boy.
NEITHER BODY RECOVERED
Victims Not Seen at Time of
Catastrophe-Aunt Heard Child
Cry to Be Saved From
Flames.

KANSAS CITY, Mo, November D.
Representative David A. De Armond, one
of the oldest democratic members Of Con-
Almond III, aged six. were burned to
death in fire that destroyed the De Ar
mond home at Butler, Mo-, early today.
Other occupants of the house at the
time of the fire and who escaped were
Mrs. De Almond, Mrs. Hattie Clark,
daughter. aged thirty-five, and a woman
servant.
Wife and Daughter Escape.
Mrs. De Almond, wife of the repre-
sentative, escaped in her night clothes
unhurt She tainted as soon as she
| reached the ground When revived later
she became hysterical
Mrs. Clark suffered burned hand,
but was not seriously hurt. The maid,
who escaped through the rear door, was
unhurt
Mrs. Clark believes that her father
sacrificed his life in an effort to save
his grandson. She thinks that Repre-
sentative De Almond was aroused in
| time to save himself. but that in awak-
ening the boy and attempting to carry
| him from danger he became confused
in the smoke, which was momentarily
growing denser. and was overcome be-
fore he was able to find the way out.
Neither Body Recovered.
| Neither the body of Representative De
| Armond nor that of his grandson has
been recovered 1t is believed they we're
| incinerated.
| The origin of the fire is unknown. 1t
started at 3 o'clock this morning
| The financial loss is placed at $4,000.
| and included one of the best libraries in
| the state.
His Favorite Grandson.
| The dead boy, named after his grand
father, but known as "Waddy," was the
| son of James A. De Almond, who lived
across the street from the burned house
and was visiting his grandparents. James
| A. De Almond is the editor of local
| newspaper. He was adjutant general on
| the staff of Gov. Folk.
James De Almond started to rush into
| the burning home in an attempt to save
| his father, but was restrained by the
younger members of the De Almond fam
| lily and neighbors.
| The De Almond home was large two
story frame structure, set we'll back from
| the street. On two sides of the house.
equal with the second floor, four rooms or
| outdoor sleeping apartments had been
| constructed. At the time the fire broke
out the occupants of the house were in
these rooms.
| Representative De Almond and his
young grandson occupied one room on the
south side of the building. Mrs De Ar
mond and Mrs. Clark were in separate
| rooms on the opposite side of the house.
| Nettie Boles, twenty years old, a servant
rvtrI 1,nI &l,A
| house.
Mrs. Clark Awakened.
Mrs. Clark was awakened by cry. Go
| ing to the door of her room, she saw
smoke issuing from the part of the house
where Representative De Almond and
Waddie slept.
Get me out of here" she heard Waddie
Never mind, son. I'll save you," Rep
resentative De Almond answered.
Those were the last words either of the
victims uttered. moment later the
| smoke increased In volume, and Mrs.
Clark fed down stairs to the telephone.
Within minutes time she had given
| the alarm to the telephone office and
| hurried back to the rooms of her mother.
BY this time the entire second floor
| was clouded with smoke and flames were
| leaping from the windows. Cropping her
| way to Mrs. De Almonds bedside, her
| daughter literally dragged her from the
room.
There was no time to think of aiding
those in the other part of the house.
| Urging her mother down the stairway,
the younger woman with difficulty sue
ceeded in reaching and opening the street
door.
Nettie Boles, the maid had been one OF
the first to escape. She reached the
street from the rear door after the hrst
cry of fire. She was unhurt. but too.
frightened to comprehend the situation
and had fed from the scene.
No Trace of Bodies.
Search Of the ruins revealed no tangible
trace of the two victims. What were at
first believed to be the bones of Repre-
sentative De Almond were located at the
south side of the house, but they crum-
bled quickly. discrediting that belief.
Mrs. De Almond was cared for at
neighboring house. She promptly recov.
cred from her fainting condition and to-
day bore the situation with fortitude.
The first Mrs. De Almond knew Of the
fire was when she heard her grandson.
..Waddie" call out that the house was
on fire. Mrs. De Almond says she neither
cav her husband nor heard a call from
him.
Family Of Representative De Almond
Representative De Almond had three
sons and daughter.
''Waddie" De Almond. son of James A.
De Almond, was Representative De Ar
mond's favorite grandchild. The boy fire.
quently remained at the home of his i.
grandparents. always occupying bed
with the representative.
Besides James A. De Almond, the sons
of the dead representative are Edward
H.. an instructor at West Point. and
IJeut George w De Armond now sery-