The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-11-28
Fatal Kerosene 4 ccident.

Fatal Kerosene 4 ccident.
Gen. Sibley's Famiiyat St. Paul, all
Seriously Burned By a Kerosene Er-
p!osion-A Servdnt Girl Burned to
Death.
From she So. Paul Psoacer of the
10th inst, we copy ths tvflowing a.'-
connt Of the hoxrt -rcnding neejdeD.
resulting from the explosion o..
Kerosene lamp N the house Of GcM.
Sibley, mention Of which was sever
vi lays ago made in the telegraphic
columns Of the Gazette:
son Thursday night, shortlv.after
midnight, one Of those heart. rcnI
ing accidents that occasionally. star.
TIC the community, occurred 1t the
residence OF Gen. Sibley. A kero-
seDc lamp exploded, burning one III
the servants 70 buddy that she died
in few bours, aud badly burning
Gen. Siblcy, Mrs. Sib!ev. and Miss
Augusta Siblcy, their oldest daugh.
ter.
/ There had been socin! gathering
Of friends n; Gc,,. ..'ibiey's house dur.
ing the evening. The occasion was
one Of joy and gaycty. and tho fes.
tivi,i,s were ?rOirncted to u late
hour, when the happy assemblagc
broke mp, ittls d,caming that the
mansion but a moment ago so bright
and gay, resembling with merrimen,
and music would, By sudden shift
ing of the scene, be changed TO one
OF mourning, pain and death
Shortly after midnight the lass 81
the guests departed. Gen Sibley
and lady ard two daughters were in
the parlOr down stairs. just at this
moment they hcara crash mp stairs,
as if . lamp had fallen on the floor,
immediately followed by screar..
Convinced that sOmc accident had
happened they all inslinctively ran
To the door to 60 mp stairs 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 rend-
irg sight met his gaze that he
says he never can forget. One If
the domcstics, young girl named
Maggie Murphy, was coming ont Of
room completely envelopcd III a
mass Of flames, which rose above he,
head two or three feet, meantime ut.
tering the most piercing screams
The hall was quite lit mp with the
lurid light from the burning gar
mcnts, and from the flames which
shone through the door OF the room,
on the floor of which the iynited oil
was now blazing iurionsly. General
Sibiey, as his fricns know il gentle
man of great GOODNESS and presence ri
mind, aud thesc qualities did not de
scrt him a; that juncinre Knowing
that il was useless to attempt 20 PIT.
out the flames without something
to smOl her them with. Gen. s rush
ed into his bed room. To get a hlan
kct from his bed. After tearing off
one or two covers. he found light
blanket. and ran hack into the hall
to throw it over the unfortunate
girl.
In the meantime. Augusta Sibley
and S;sl!ie Sihlev had reached the up-
per hall. Sailie was little in ed,
vance. but seeing Maggie developed
IN flames coming towards her, IN
stinctivcly shnok back. aud Angus
tn spr .ny forward anxious to do
something for the poor girl who WAS
on fire. The latter, crazed by the
painrani fright. seized Augusta IN
her arms, and before the latter
could break away. she was badly
burned on tbearms which were bare,
and her light party dress was in a
blaze.
All this was the work nfan instant.
Mrs Sibiey, who had just come up
stairs, seeing her daughter cnvc.oped
in flames. endeavored to qnench
them, and in 70 doing had her hands
very painfully burned. Gussie Sih-
ley had the presence Of mind TO rua
into bedroom opposite and draw
some clothes from the bed, aided by
her sister SaIIie, and endcavored to
wrap them arou-d her.
This happened, ne said, while the
/. General was in his room looking for
a blanket, ani was unknown to him.
Returning with the blankets he
sprang t wards poor Maggie, who
was just entering room, still scream
ing in an agonizing manner, and
tire y it around her The flames
still blazing eotierccly about her that
the slenket was actually lifted up by
the eat, and IN en.ieavoring TO GOV
or her II, Gen. $. had bis hair, eye
brows d moust aches ringed badly
and also inhaled tho fame He final.
" succeeded N smothcring the
flames j:st as the poor girl fell to the
floNr exhausted and dying.
| Mr.. Sihley's hired hand, John Muir
ply arrived just at this monent,
and finished cxtingnishing the burn.
1 ing garments while Gen. Sibley ran
into where the room lamp fell. The
flames had got considerable head
way. and with difIicnlty put out, bod
clothes and everything available
being used u smother them. While
40 engaged, General S:bley ran into
% adjoining room for s0nlc water,
/ 4 . 4 49, a Z " !