The daily gazette., 1880-03-27
FIRST EDITION
The coal Ots Vacttns.

LAMP THAT DID IT."
The Coroner Jury IN the case of
John Sauerlander, who died on We'd
nesday night from the effects of burns
caused by the explosion OF a lamp, a
full account of which has already ap-
peared In the GAZETTE, assembled last
evening at the undertaking establish
ment OF l.. W. Palmer, on Shipley, be-
low Second.
The first witness called was Frank A.
Cafswell, who testified that ON Tues
day night last, about 11.30 o'clock he
was on his way home, and upon reach
Ing French street, he heard the cry Of
''fire, fire." he stopped q moment on
the church corner, and then heard a
noise as some one running; he then ran
TO the Washington engine house and
knocked on the door to give the alarm;
while he was standing on the corner, he
doticed man who afterwards proved
70 be the man who picked Mrs. Sauer-
lander up. After leaving the engine
house, he walked up French street ac-
companied by two men named Joseph
Brady and William Lynch, and when
near Fifth they noticed something white
lying on the pavement, and l said:
"Good God, men; there is q woman ly-
ing In the street." When we got up TO
her we found a man bending over her
stamping out the fire; she was bleeding
very freely around the face and should
ers. saw that there was enough there
| 70 help her, so returned to the house,
and endeavored to open the door; as 1
took hold Of the knot felt some one
pulling on the inside, and as the door
was partly opened a man stuck his head
out and said: "For Gods sake 90 for q
doctor donot know what has become
Of my wife. II was that confounded
lamp that did IL, and we are almost
burned TO DEATH" Immediately went
10 the City Hall and informed tLose
present at that place of what had oc-
CURED, and asked who would be the
best physician TO get at that time Of
night, and they informed me to 60 tor
DR.. Blocksom. / did so and then re-
turned to the house and assisted In put
Ting out the fire. Sauerlander repeated
several times that II was ''the confound
ed lamp that did it,"
Mrs. Phoebe Brauenstein testified that
| she was awakened about 1l.30 O'Clock
by some one pulling their door bell;
heard a man asking for help as a woman
was bui ned; my husband called me, and
| came down stairs as quickly as possi-
b e; when l went into the house SAN
Mrs. Sauerlander lying OH the lounge,
covered with blood from her head down;
l was frightened and ran into the kitch-
ell for some water, and when came back
the deceased was walking the floor; he
| fnallu Qat hnUU aud hannnh far nndio
sake Tor some one to come to him;
told him that l would come to him;
then got basin of water, and tried to
wash the blood from off Of his face, but
could not do II as 1t flowed faster than 1
could wash; then sent In to my resi-
dence for oil and cotton, and c)mmenc-
ed to dress his wounds, when DR.. Bush
and another physician came in; still
continued TO help to dress his wounds,
and after that was done we laid him on
a bed. 1 remained with him the re-
malnder Of the night. l asked him how
the accident occurred, and he told me
that just rs he came into the house he
picked his child up, and started up
stairs; he laid the child down in the
middle room on the bed and started TO
60 into the front room TO prepare for
bed; he had just turned from the bed OF
his child, whea the lamp exploded in
the hands of his wife, who had not yet
gotten up the stairs; the oil few over
him and his wiie, he then ran into the
front room and got aquilt and wrapped
it around himself thinking 1t would
smother the flames; he further said:
ave must not condem the oil as it was
carelessness In my wife in carrying the
lamp, and hurrying up stars with IT,;
we have used the oil for a long time,
aud nothing ever occurred BEFORE"
this was all the conversation that had
with him.
DIR. l.. P. Bush testified that he was
called up between 11.30 and 12 O'Clock
and was asked to go and see two per-
sons who were burned. He responded
and upon reaching the house found
Drs. Kirchner, Blocksom and Springer
present, and Mr.. and Mrs. Sauerland-
or seriously burned and suffering great
pain. asked what kind of oil they
had used and upon being told, pour
ed small quantity of it in cup for
the purpose Of testing it. l then
struck ma ch, and held it within
two inches of The, oil, when it ignited.
He also presented report of a
committee of citizens made to Council
in 1870 Of oils, in which report it was
stated that ocean oil was very danger
GUS, being very intiammable, and
when mixed with atmosphere it is
very explosive; without air, alone it is
not explosive but when mixed with
atmosphere it will go off like powder.
| DR.. Kirchner testified that he was
called little after 12 o'clock to go see
man who was burned by coal oil
went to the house, and found Drs.
Blocksom and Springer present, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Sauerlander, suffering
considerably they were both exten-
sively burned, the burned surface OF
the man covering over one third Of
his body, from head down {; part ol
the mans back was charred, probably
where the oil struck him the ends O
his tingers burned to crisp on ac
: count of the large surface of bod,
burned, there was no reasonable hop'
: of his recovery, and he died exact.
twenty four hours after the acciden
j occurred, which is about the usua
= time for modification to set in. /
e over one third of the surface of tn
J, body is burned, in nineteen cases ou
e of twenty deaths will ensue, no matte
q how healthy person is.
DIR. Blocksom testified to being cal
ed and going to the house, where h
-