New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-27
KERR FOURTH VICTIM
OF NANTUCKET FIRE.
YOUNG New Yorker Made PluCky
Fight for Life-Barnes's
Son Will Recover.
TURPENTINE FED TO BLAZE
Young Man Threw Bucketful OF
Infammable Liquid in Mistake
for Water-Valet's Body to
Rest in Leaders Plot.
fBy Telegram TO The Tribune. J


Nantucket. Mass. June Zh-lhoiiaS
Kerr. Of New York. the fourth victim OF
Saturdays fire. died at 100 O'Clock TO-
night at the summer home OF Willlaii'
Barnes. jr.. of Albany, in orange street
Miss Helen r. Wilson. of New YORK
and Miss Mildred De Haven, of Brook
Ivn nerjshed in the flames, and thelr
bodies were burned To crisp. Uiysse
pshaud the valet of the Barnes family
died few hours later, and tonight MI
Kerr passed away.
Mr. Kerr made a plucky struggle TOT
his life. and even up TO within Few
hours If his death declared that ne
would recover Little hope was enter
,.,ned however and while he seemed 10
Mid his strength remarkably well. a
sudden change took place this afternoon
and he sank rapidly.
MIR Kerr was twerty-four years oiu
ana lived in New York. He was stu
don't AT Andover. and arrived mere only
few weeks ago for his summer vacation.
# n Kerr and l.. F. Kerr. brother anu
uncle Of the young man. arrived al noon
,o-6av and were driven to the Barnes
,o,,o where Mr.. Kerr had been taken
after the fire Saturday They were aoie
~ converse with him only re" h'o-
-oonts Arrangements were haue w
night TO remove the body TO Ne" ION
BY the morning boat.
Thurlow Weed Barnes. jr VINO was
,,s,v burned in the fire Saturday is I'M
,-oyed tonight. and will recover WIZ
lam Barnes ir.. his father said to-nlsh''
..,tv how will recover. but II VIII De
-, ,,r,. before he will he able 10 ne
about again"
nh. hodv ~ ULYSSES Pahud, Barnes
valet who died on Saturday night 'ei'
me island to-day on the noon ooa' LOT
New York Mr.. Barnes said to-nish' l.
"Tha hodv will he taken to Albany. anu
will be buried in my family plot az AL
banv." 49,
new light was shed to-day on tne
FIRE when young Mr. Barnes toid ms
.,,bsr the first complete story OF inc
caus. of the FIRE. Mr.. Barnes said'
..1,h. fire was caused by throwing
watch on a pile OF gasolene rags AS
~. Gre started onesbf the young
man seized a pail Of what ne suPPoseU
was water and dashed it on 10 'he
flames. The pail instead contalneo tur-
rertine. and as soon as II was odsheo
an the aoor the entire room seemed 10
hurst .ato a sheet of fame. Chance TOT
.scsne ras practically impossible With
ont rushing right through the names
Some of the party succeeded in do'ns
this. while the others in their turn were
unable to get out. We tried the pest we
could to save them. but were poweriess'
as the flames drove us back.
Investigation shows that the room
where the fire started was only q by y
feet. and the members Of the party were
penned like rats in trap almost before
they were really aware Of what had
happened.
The gloom caused by the tragedy has
settled over the whole island and has
put a damper on the festivities 81 the
summer colony Mr. Barnes visited the
scene Of the tragedy this afternoon for
the first time since his arrival. AS he
approached the blackened ruins he COW
cred his face with his hands and was
nearly overcome. In broken words he
said: Il will have these ruins removed
at once ! cannot hear 10 see them"
The body Of Miss Mildred De Haven, who
met death Saturday evening at the burn
Ing Of the boathouse Of William Barnes
~ al %optucket Mass reached the Df
Haven home. No. IL Pierreport street
Brooklyn. yesterday noon Mr.. and Mrs
Hugh De Haven reached home three hours
before with their twelve-year- son
Hugh De Haven. jr. The funeral will bt
held al 3 o'clock this afternoon at Holy
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church. The
burial will be at the convenience of the
family.