The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-04
Mrs. Yates Burned to
Death Despite Heroic
Work Outside.
FIREMEN DRIVEN
AWAY BY FLAME
Volunteers Form Human Ladder
to Reach Window, but Are
Quickly overcome-B dy
Terribly Charred When
Found After Home Had
Been Flooded.

Trapped in her room, with everything
around her on fire and apparently no
avenue Of escape, Mira VI r. Yates be.
tween forty-six and forty-cight years
OF age. was burned TO death carly last
night In her new home at 3Il North
Monroe Street. Every effort after
smoke and names were seen Issuing
from the windows, was made 10 rescue
her, but when nremen finally broke into
the front room on tho second floor she
was found in heap. huddled just be-
yond the door of her bedroom, burned
and scared almost indescribably.
The flre was discovered by negroes In
the neighboghood shortly after Z o'clock
n. NJ Randall employed in a colored
poolroom next door. heard the sound
OF anguished screams above him and
the noise OF some one knocking on a
door.
Formed Human Ladder.
Rushing from the poolroom. he raw
smoke Issuing from one OF two win
dows facing on Monroe street. Calling
s. others to his aid, he helped another
man onto the little porch roof in front
OF one OF tho windows. the men form
ing human ladder. The man above
got to the roof and with his naked
hands beat in the window.
With the thrush OF air tho names
bclched out. and. haIf-taintlng. the
wouid-bc rcscuer was forced to fall
back. Again he tried, and again the
smoke and name bent him back. As
he was forced back the second time he
saw something fun. and he and the
others knew that Mrs. Yates wns dead.
pfIf taIf lzl
heard the screams and rushed to Mon
roe street. A citizen yelled TO kim to
turn In the alarm. and, without waiting
to see what was the trouble. he opened
the box and turned the key. Walter L.
Luck. who is employed az East Broad
street. also heard the alarm and went
to the house. he also attempted TO
enter. but, like Randall was forced
back by volumes of smoke and flame.
Could Not Enter Window.
On the rirst call. bremen from Engine
Company No. ., OF Brook Avenue. thun-
dered down on an engine. and as people
called to him that lone woman was
inside. Assistant Chief Wise climbed
ladder and attempted 10 gain entrance
through the window. But he. too, was
hcaten back. and with followers from
the company. he assembled back stair
way, and all together they fought their
way In with the aid OF streaming hose.
1t was not until the place was flooded
with water and the smoke and the
name had died down that the frtmen
saw the form huddled In the corner
Every strip OF clothing had been burned
from the body. The body lay black
ened and charred, almost unrecogniz-
able. But in the dim light OF lantern
the men of the Brook Avenue engine
house recognized the features Ut the
woman. She had lived for some time
II
house.
Alamo When Trapped.
Judging from the position of the
body and Its appearance. the woman
was clothed in flames when she at last
burst through the door which closed
her in. Her bedroom was just In the
rear. and the door opened inwards.
She was said to have used only candles
to light her house at night. After
lighting one she had evidently gone to
sleep, awalttns to find herself in flames.
Then, after vainly attempting TO beat
them out with her hands, she must have
rushed to the or c window on the side
and called for assistance But there
was none to answer her calls.
With the flames still wrapping ner
around and eating into her flesh. she
attempted to open the door. but could
not. Then II was that they heard nor
screams and the noise OF knocking.
door, Then. dying and with all her
clothes burned from her body, she
fell just beyond the door. against the
wall. There she lay and continued
to bu i until her body was burned to
"a crisp and the flames were cXtin-
Euishcd by the ilremcn's hose.
With TWO Small Sons.
Mrs. Yates lived with her two Snail
sons by.a former husband--R. n. Slio-
maker--W. 4. Shomai<cr sixteen years
old. and Robert Lee Shomaker. thir-
teen years old. But both were away
a the time of the fire. They arrived
when all was over Mrs. Bozeilc vino
door, took them in. and offered them
shelter for the night. and as long rs
they cared to stay. Another child n
Gvc-year-old girl. Mary Theresa lIli.-
abeth Yates. by the second husband,
is living with an aunt in King VIII
liam county.
Mrs Yatess second husband was
the Home Furniture Company. By her
first husband. who was for twenty
years an employee OF the city Mrs.
Yates inherited some property. and
from this derived a small income. The
property through the Law and Equity
Court, was placed in the hands of
Attorney Conway r. Sands. as trustee.
lie was called to the scene and !mme-
diateiy made provision for the care
of the two boys. and caused the body
to be sent to the Bennett undertaking
establishment. Coroner Taylor viewed
the body and decided that an inquest
wns unnecessary.
survived by a brother and sister--Miss
Fannia Edmonds and John Elicit. both
OF King William county. Mr.. Sands
notified them of the tragic death.