Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-04
GOVERNORS WIFE
BURNED IN FIRE At
VIRGINIA MANSION
Leaps From Third Floor Of
Executive Residence, But
Is Caught by Fireman.
OLDER SON ALSO JUMPS,
NURSE SAVES BILLIE, a.
Youngsters srarkler Blamed for
Fire. Which Practically
Ruins Lower Floor.

By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. Va. January Airs
+. Lee Trinkle, wife of the Governor
of Virginia. was seriously burned to-
day when fire gutted the lower floor
of the executive mansion here and
endangered the lives Of Mrs. Trinkle.
her 14-year- son, Lee Trinkle, jr.
and her 3-year-old son, Billy.
Mrs. Trinkle suffered what physi-
clans termed "first-deSree burns
about the face, arms and chest when
she rushed through the flames on the
first floor of the mansion upstairs to
the third floor to awaken l.. Lee. il.
In her sons room she and the boy
we're trapped by fire and smoke and
were forced to jump to the ground.
Mrs. Trinkle's fall was broken by Il
fireman and policeman, who man
aged to grab her by the ankle. from
which she was Suspended until all
three fell in heap To the ground.
She was rushed TO nearby hospital,
where physicians reported her in great
pain. The full extent of her injuries
has not yet been determined.
Butler Catches Boy
The boy jumped into the arms of
mansion. and is thought to have es-
capped injury. Little Billy. whose
sparkler ignited the big Christmas
tree in the parlor of the mansion, was
carried to safety by a nurse just az
the flames enveloped the entire lower
floor of the 114-year-old structure. He
was slightly burned and later he and
his older brother We're taken to a
hospital for examination.
~
flames to historical portraits. antiques
and other treasures that had been ac-
cumulated in this, one of Virginia $
priceless Jeffersonian structures, built
by James Monroe when he was gov
ernor.
Gov Trinkle was in his Offices in
the State Office Building. near the ex-
ecutive mansion. when the blaze on
the Christmas tree was discovered by
Setgray. The butler rushed ont OF the
building to get the assistance of State
policemen in the surrounding park
way, and when he returned he found
the fire had caught onto the wood
work of the parlor. y fire alarm was
sounded. but the flames spread rapid
ly through the gorgeous parlor and
adjoining rooms with the priceless
heirlooms, and when the f1remen ar
rived virtually the entire lower floor
was ablaZe.
BUSHES to Save Son.
Mrs. Trinkle was in the kitchen
when notified Of the fire. and her
first thought was of her eldest son,
asleep above. BY this time the stair
way was afire. but. undaunted, the
mother dashed through the flames
and upstairs to her sons room Here
both were trapped. Firemen raised
ladder to window, but it was
short of it's mark, and with the flames
rapidly gaining headway they called
to the Governors wife and son to
jump.
Mrs. Trinkle perched herself on the
window sill, but is thought to have
been overcome by smoke or pain as
she was about to leap. and instead
fell head-foremost. Capt. G.. d. Rust,
in charge of the first fire engine to
reach the scene. atop the ladder.
caught her by the ankle. and Police
man J. L. Cook. behind Rust on the
ladder. grabbed her body, all three
toppling to the roof below. Mrs. Trim
kle was not hurt in the fall. Her IA
yearold son jumped from the third
/. floor to the ground below, and fell
into the arms of Setgray.