Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-11-24

SHOCKING AsFAIR-WONAN BURNT To DEATH.
The residents upon Brownell street were startled
yesterday morning by the report that woman
had been burnt TO death in her own house and yet
no alarm given until TOO late to avert tho sad con-
sequences. The story, as told by the woman liv-
ing in another tenement of the same building is as
follows The ewOman's name was Jane Elliott, and
she had lived in the house (Which is situated Oh
Browne street at the head of Columbus) since ear
ly in the summer She had borne very good
character among her neighbors having been regard
ed as quiet, neat and orderly person Of late,
however, she had been addicted to a rather free
use of liquor, and had been intoxicated on Monday
evening About seven O'Clock German named
Snider, who is the driver of city express wagon,
went to the house and staid there through the eve
ming. About one O'Clock the woman in the other
part of the house heard him stamping about the
floor and making great noise. She arose and
dressed herself and was going out to get some of
the neighbors to take him away as she was going
out German was passing by the house, and see
ing smoke issuing from the door, he opened it and
went in. Cropping about, he found Mrs. Elliott ly-
ing upon the floor perfectly naked and burnt most
horribly He carried her out of the house and
endeaYored to revive her by putting water and
snow upon her body, but she was soon taken into
Mr.. Evans, the next door neighbor, and physicians
sent for. Drs. Maverllus and Marshall were soon
in attendance, but the woman was so terribly
burned that no help could be afforded, except by
morphine to deaden the pain, and the suffering
creature died at IL O'Clock in the forenoon Her
entire body was completely roasted, and as black
as a Negro.
From all appearances, it would seem that the
bed clothes cOught on fire from candle or from a
tobacco pipe which Snider had, and that the wo-
man then jumped or was rolled from the bed, tax
ing the bed clothes with her, as the latter were
burnt while the bed itself was hardly touched by
the fire. The man was intoxicated, but not so
much so as to be unconscious of what he was do
ing, as he seems to have endeavored to extinguish
the flames without alarming the neighbors and he
threatened Mrs. EIott's little girl if she should cry
or make any noise. The poor little thing told her
sister afterwards that she e" would try and love
him and then he would not hurt her"
Snider states that having business with Mrs.
Elliott he called there early in the evening and not
finding her at home, he staid with a friend across
the street until they found The woman as above
stated, but this is not true inasmuch as he in
the house when the door was first opened. The
unfortunate woman was of English descent, her
husband having left her three or four years ago
and gone to England She was about 80 years of
age, and Snider about so
Coroner Hartman commenced holding an inquest
on the body of the deceased, last night, which
will be resumed this morning. The evidence thus
far adduced, gives credence to a ssrong suspicion
that snider was guilty of setting the fire in which
she was burned.