The Indiana State sentinel., 1875-01-26
FATAL KEROsENE

a. IkRRE HAUTE LADY BURNED TO DRArR NV
An EXPLODING LAMP-THE DANGERS or
oAnnhINs KEROSENE LAMPS IN DANGEROUS
fLAcEs-A TERRIBLE CASE OF SUFFERING.
Inc 1erre Haute Express, of :he 22d inst.
gives the facts connected with q most
iamentable and fatal accident to an estima.
Die lady Of that city: One OF the sad6est q,
all sad accidents occurred Wednesday evan
ing, about 1880 O'Clock. AZ ,na
residence OF II. L. Smith sortho
west corner OF First and Swan streets
nI. smith is machinist, formerly in the
employ of the Eagle Works Cou11any b,,t
at present night engineer at Hudnnt,s
nominy mill, and usually leaves home so1o..
what before 12 o'clock, midnight. his wife
gettlng supper before he leaves. On the
nignI IN question he had not gone far untiI
in his wle, Jennie smith, took the large table
ianp and started to go down for sorne
water Into the basement, which is
really but little below the snr
Iace OF the ground, and missing
step, pitched forward and down the few
remaining steps. The lamp meanwhile hsd
Iaiien rom ner grasp to the steps and been
snlvered TO fragments, the coal oil spresdino
with rapidity, splashing her clothes consid,
eraoiy and the flames sprsDg and Amos,
instantly enyeloped her. As she arose at the
loot OF the steps the blaze reached a oaIico-
dress that hung upon the wall and set n on
nre, IL burning up to the ceiling. In the hor-
rible condition in which she found herself
she instinctly sprsng to a partition door
70 ner LETT aud opening it revealed her
sell mass of flames, growing more apnaIl
ing every instant, and she screamed to Mr..
henry Sale who sat there reading, 10 save
her. he grasped an overcoat, but could not
loosen 1T for the hook then seixing 8 small
shawl tried in vain to smother the flames
Wnen young stepson of Mr.. Sales, Joseph
Stewart, seeing the flames enveloping his
iatner, seized bucket of water and dashed
IL on them, subduing the fire about the nm
per portion Of her body somewhat, snc Mr.
Sales then had more success with them ba-
low, but the unfortunate lady
IN HER AGONY,
rushed FOR the outer door aud fell upon the
small steps leading up into the back ward.
Mr.. Sales tumbling down too, In his eager
and earnest efforts to save her life, in which
mis- right wrist was spraine6. and his hair
oeard and eyebrows were sadly scorched.
Mrs. Smiths terrific, soulpiercing screams
Mrs. Sales, who came to the rescne
A number OF citizens rushed to the outer
fence, which was too high to allow them to
ciimp over In time to be of any assistance.
Miss Ettie Stewart, who, in Mr. Smiths alb
sence, slept with her, had come to the res
cue. as also her brother, Gus. Stewart. and
they gently carried the poor, tortured lady
into the kitchen. The remnant of her
clothing had almost all been torn from ber.
Her dress and fat skirt was so nearly
burned that all that was left was a piece OF
sither the size Of common apron. Mr..
smith was summoned as was a physician.
ah ahu she was carried up to her
,nau-Der and every possible thing.
ao1e 10 relieve her of her.
s"iui misery, but the physician could offer
no nope OF her ultimate recovery. Her
arms, breast, face, shoufdars and neck ara
Iearfully burned, and her hair is nearly all
burned froh her head. But the most Teri.
Die burns were about her thighs, and rang
ng up almost to her waist, her hips beins,
'wfully burned. Her sufferines were in
ense, but she is said to have borne then
With great patience, requesting Mrs. Sales to
ook after her little ones, saving: lyon
lave been good mother to me-" She re-
aimed her consciousness until along in the
fternoon, when she relapsed into an nm
onscious state, and remained under the in
luence OF an opiate. DIR. Young was called
last evening, but could give the stricken.
husband and his little step daughters no
more encouragement than the attendant
MUSICIAN, and advised that the same treat
nent be continued
LeTER.-Mrs. Smith died Is minutes before
Or O'Clock last evening, having fingered
bout Shours after the accident,