New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-26
His Dying Regret Was That He
Could Not Save Miss Wilson
and Miss De Haven.
KERR'S CONDITION CRITICAL
Thurlow Weed Barnes, I'd, the
Host of the Party, Probably
Will Recover from
His Burns.
tBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

lives were wiped out almost In twink.
ling. and two other persons are on the
list of dangerously injured, one OF whom
is not expected to recover. as the result
Of the terrible fire Of yesterday which
destroyed the handsome boathouse OK
William Barnes. jr., of Albany, on Com
mercial Wharf
Miss Helen Wilson, twenty-one years
old. the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
r. Wilson, of New York City, and Miss
Mildred De Haven. eighteen years old.
daughter OF Hugh De Haven. Of Brook
lyn. were both burned to a crisp. and
Ulysse Pahud, twenty eight years old,
butler and valet for the Barnes family.
died about midnight as the result OF his
injuries, largely received In unsuccess-
full efforts TO save the young women.
Thomas Kerr, Of New York City.
friend Of Thurlow Weed Barnes. I'd. lies
tonight in a precarious condition. and
small hope is entertained for his recov-
cry. Thurlow Weed Barnes, ID. Is now
at the family home here, and. while SUI
fering terribly, is expected to recover.
into gloom. 1t was undoubtedly the
worst ever known In the history or the
town.
The fire broke out at $50 p. m. Thur
low Weed Barnes, I'd, who had been
graduated from Harvard last week. had
arrived here only few days ago for the
summer. Yesterday he invited party
of friends for a sailing trip In the har-
bor and on their return TO the boathouse
ARRANGEMENTS We're being made for a
dinner party. During the day the boat
house had been cleared and the floors
had been rubbed with gasoene in prepa-
ration for dancing
1t was merry party Of young people
right in the flush of young manhood and
womanhood which entered The boat
house to prepare for the festivities, and
their merry laughter sounded over the
placid waters. During the merrymaking
one of the young men, which one no one
seems to know lighted a cigarette and
| threw the blazing match 10 the floor In
an instant the floor seemed to burst into
| a sheet Of flame.
| Miss De Haven Tries to Subdue Flames.
| Miss De Haven had seized a piece Of
| cloth lying on the floor and attempted TO
stop the flames, but her fiimsy dress
caught fire and she was enveloped in
flames in a second. Meanwhile the
others in the party had started for
the doors. and some of them succeeded
| in escaping from the room. Thurlow
Barnes, as he reached the outer door,
seemed to realize what had happened,
and, turning to the people on the wharf,
| shouted, my God, | have left the girls
| inside" and turned to their rescue.
Ulysse Pahud the valet, was right be-
| fore him and attempted to rescue the
| blazing girl Miss Helen Wilson. who
had escaped from the room, turned back
| to the rescue of her friend and her dress
| also caught fire. The flames were by this
time eating their way up the walls. and
the young men shouted to the girls to
run for the doors. Mr. Barnes, Mr. Kerr
and Mr.. Pahud succeeded in escaping,
but as they did so the draft closed ths
door to the room and the spring locks
locked the two girls in a cauldron OF
| flames.
Miss Phoebe Judkins, OF New York:
Miss Tanner. Of Buffalo: Henry Wilson,
jr.. and Ruth Wilson. brother and sister
Of one Of the victims, succeeded in maxi
| ing their escape from the south end Of
the building.
| An alarm had been sounded and the
fire department responded. The boat
house was one mass Of flames on its ar
rival and in spite Of every effort the
building was burned fiat in less than
| half an hour. The scenes about the Gre
as the two victims were burned was
heartrending. Mr.. Barnes, Mr. Kerr and
Mr. Pahud were taken at once to the
| home of Dr. Grouard. where their in.
juries were attended.
Brother and Sister Restrained.
Henry l.. Wilson. jr. and his sister
were with difficulty restrained from
rushing to the assistance of their sister
In the blazing building. They were
where their mother was staying. Rush
| ing into the hotel. he cried: Helen Is
| burned TO a crisp In the fire. mother: we
did all we could to save her, but IL was
no use" Both mother and son collapsed
In each others arms
Pahud was terribly burned about the
body and inhaled a great deal OF tho
flame. His flesh was one mass OF blis-
ters. but he showed remarkable courage
He was practically pulled away from the
burning building. after he had forced his
way into 1t again and again. and fought
to go back 10 the rescue OF the unfortu-
nate girls. He died about midnight.
! Just before his death he aroused him.
self and said bravely: Il know | am not
going to live. but | am only sorry that
| couldn't save the girls. | did the best
I could" With this he lapsed into un-
consciousness. from which he never re.
covered.
| To-day Mr.. Barnes and Mr.. Kerr were
where they are under the constant care
of physicians. Miss Tanner and Miss
Judkins are completely overcome by tho
| fatalities. Neither was able to-day to
give a very coherent story OF the Ore.
They say that everything happened 90
suddenly that they can hardly real
ize II.
1T seems like a terrible nightmare,
said Miss Tanner to-day. Il remember
seeing the fire fash and Of rushing for
the door. but don't know how l ever got