The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-11-28
FATAL KEROSENE ACCIDENT.


On Thursday night, shortly after mid
night, one of those heart rendering acct
dents that occasionally startle the com
muuIty occurred at the residence of Gen.
Sibley. A kerosene lamp exploded, burn
ing one of the servants so badly that she
died in a few hours, and badly burning
General Sibley, Mrs. Sibley, and Miss
Augusta Sibley, their oldest daughter.
There had been a social gathering of
friends at General Sibley's house during
the evening. The occasion was one OF
JOY and gayety, and the festivities were
protracted to a late hour, when the hap
by assemblage broke up, little Dreaming
that the mansion but moment ago so
bright and gay, Resembling with merri-
ment and music, would by a sudden
shifting of the scene. be changed to one
OF mourning, pain and death.
Short after midnight the last of the
guests departed Gen Sibley and lady.
and two daughters we're in the parlor
down stairs. just at this moment they
heard crash up stairs, as If lamp had
fallen on the floor, Immediately followed
by a scream. Convinced that some acct
dent had happened. they all lnstinctively
ran to the door, to go up spairs Gen.
Sibley was ahead, and bounded up the
stairs some steps in advance of the others.
On turning the second fight that lands
in the upper hall. heart-rendering sight
met his gaze, that he says he never can
forget. One Of his domestics, a young
girl, named Maggie Murphy, was coming
out OF a room, completely enveloped in
a mass of flames, which rose above her
b az two or three feet, meantime utter
ing the most piercing screams. The hall
was quite lit up with the lurd ight from
the burning garments, aud from the
flames which shone through the door OF
the room, on the floor of which the ignit-
ed oil was now blazing furiously Gen.
Sibley, as his friends know, is a gentle
man OF great cool-ass and presence of
mind, and these qualities did not desert
him at this juncture Knowing that it
was useless to attempt to put out the
flames without something to smother
them with, Gen. S. rushed into his bed
room, to get blanket from his bed
After tearing off one or two covers, he
found light blanket, and ran back into
the hall to throw 1t over the unfortunate
girl.
In the meantime, Augusta Sibley and
Saliie Sibley had reached the upper hall.
Maggie enveloped in flames coming
towards her, instantly shrank back, and
Augusta sprang forward anxious to do
something for the poor girl who was on
fire. The latter crazed by pain and fright
seized Augusta in her arms, and before
the latter could break away, she was
badly burned on the arms, which were
bare, and her light party dress was in a
blaze.
Ali this was the work of an instant
Mrs. Sibley. who had just come up stairs,
seeing her daughter enveloped in flames,
endeavored to quench them, and in so
doing had her hands very painfully burn
| ed. Gussie Sibley had the presence of
mind to run into the bed room opposite
and draw some clothes from the bed,
aided by her sister Sallie, and endeavored
| to wrap them around her.
This happened, we said while the Gen
eral was In his room looking for blanket,
and was unknown to him. Returning
with the blanket, he sprang towards poor
| Maggie, who was just entering room,
still screaming IN an agonizing manner,
and threw it around her. The flames
were still blazing so fercely about her
that the Blanket was actually lifted UP
| by the heat, and in endeavoring to cover
her up, General S. had his hair, eye
brows and moustaches singed badly, and
also inhaled the flame He finally sue
ceeded in smothering the flames, just as
the poor girl fell to the floor exhausted
and dying.
Mr.. Sibley's hired man, John Murphy,
arrived just at this moment, and finished
extinguishing the burning garments,
| while General s. ran into the room where
the lamp fell. The flames had got con-
siderable Roadway, and were with diff
Guilty put out, bed clothes and every
thing available, being used to smother
them. While so engaged, Gen. S. ran
into an adjoining room for some water,
and there found his daughter, Augusta,
on fire. as stated a few lines above. She
was perfectly calm and composed, and had
not made any alarm as yet, merely saying
to him, PA, | believe am burning up! .
The General threw pitche, of water
over her shoulders, and then ordered her
TO ic'down on the floor, when he rolled
her up II some bed clothes, and succeed
ed in putting out her burning garments.
not, however, until she had been badly
burned.