Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-05
BURNED TO A CRISP.
HORRIBLE CATASTROPHE FROM kerr
OSEkE.

Mrs. fred. Retzer Fatally Burned-tS'
pIosion Of a Kerosene Lamp
Agony Of the Victim
Horror Of Horrors.
Last evening one OF the most horrible
and heart rending accidents IL mas
ever been our lot to report occurred az
about twenty minutes to . O'clock On
the Island. At that time Mr.. Miles
Stuck and his family were seated IN liieir
house. situated in an alley running
from Huron TO York streets, near the
upper end OF the Island, reading ana oc-
cnnvine themselves in various ways
when they were startled by hearing
succession OF piercing screams. running
10 the door, Mrs. Stuck noticeda Dright
ligbt burning near the corner oil tIe
house Of Mr.. Retzer, situated Directly
upposite. Calling TO her husband, shc
said Refers house Is on hie. Ml;
Stuck hurried across the alley anu
found that instead OF the house Durh,
ing, Mrs. Retzer herself was enVsiopeo
in
sHEET OF FLAME,
CRYING for assistance. Stuck rushed
into the house and procuring bucket
of water, he dashed it over the suiier,
ing woman. BY this time crowd had
assembled, and willing hands soon had
the flames extinguished. The wo-
man was then with difficulty
removed to her room, up stairs. and Dr.
Fisher. OF Bridgeport, was hastily sum
moned and rendered all the assistance
in his power. &,
When the party reached the second
story of the house flame was found
mounting its way up the window sash,
and a fire was also burning on the iioor
under the window. which was raised.
As soon as the poor woman had been
cared for she was asked how 1t happened
and after great effort the following
facts were gathered She was sitting III
the back room of the second story read
ING bv the light OF kerosene lamp, when
she had occasion TO 20 down stairs Tor
a few moments. While there she heard
a slight noise resembling an explosion,
which seemed To come. nom above.
Going up stairs she found that the
lamp, which she had left on the mantle
shell,
HAD EXPLODED,
and WAS liable to set the house on lire.
Raising window she hastily gathered
up the broken pieces of glass and threw
them out, hut in doing this her dress
swept over the wick which was burning
and i'm a second she was
WRAPPED IN FIERY CLOUD.
Rushing down the stairs she dashed
out of the house and around the corner
where she grasped the fence
| rail and sent forth
series of piercing screams that attracted
the attention of her sister, Mrs. Stuck,
who went to her assistance, as related
above.
A report OF the burning having
reached the ears of REGISTER reporter
he immediately started for the Garden
Spot" and, after some trouble, reached
the house that has been made desolat6
home by that terrible fluid which has
caused more deaths and disasters than
almost any other cause. The house Is 4
new one and is two stories high. Mr.
Retzer is an employee OF the LaBelle
Glass Works, and he and his wife were
both well known and respected, DIR. Fish
er was found at the house, and, after ex
planning how the accident had occurred
he led us up stairs and showed us one
OF the most
sICKENING SIGHTS
We ever beheld. The room was tillec
with al odor of burnt flesh and carbon
oil. The poor victim lay upon a be
wrapped IN paper and linen saturated
with oil. We cannot better describe
her appearance than by saying II any o
our readers have ever seen bodies tina
have been in coal mines where fire damp
explosions have occurred they can Torn
some estimate OF the horrible sight. Ih'
face was all pulled up, having hardly
any resemblance to that OF a human
and the abdomen was also icariully dis
tended. From her ankles up there wal
not a spot in which the cuticle had mo-
been
ENTIRELY BURNED OFF,
and In some places deep holes wer,
burned. The head, however, was til,
most terrible sight; the hair, eyebrows
aud eyelashes were entirely gone, anC
the eyes were scared in such manner
that She could distinguish no one. I'm
der the charge OF the doctor, We place.
our hand on the head and various por
tons of the body, and everywhere i
had the same feeling-that Of Il piece o
meat that has been burned to u crisp
1t was also hard TO the touch, and hat
no more the feeling OF human flesh thar
q board. The sight was an awful one
and when to the above is added
TuR CASTS AND ORGANS
OF the victim, the almost crazed appear
ance of the husband and the piteoui
cries of two little children, II was some
thing calculated to make one heart sick
In talking with DIR. Fisher, he stated
that it would be impossible for the wo
man 10 live until this morning, rs sh'
was what might be called burnt throu. /
and through. What was left OF tn,
clothing she had on, the reporter easily
gathered up in his hands; in fact, they
did not quite make handful One ma,
thus form faint idea OF how badly I'll,
poor victim was scorched.
As before stated, Mrs. Refer was ;
woman well liked, and her untimell
end will cast gloom over that entire
community. 1t is certainly very sad
affair, as there are two little children
both very young.
When we left kind neighbors and the
physician in attendance were doing al
in their power to make the sufferer easy
but it would only be necessary for {
short time, as she was rapidly sinking
ANOTHER LESSON
is here taught on the use OF kerosene
it does seem as il after the numerous ac
cidents and fires that have been occa
stoned by the use OF the liquid, thai
people would learn TO have great care
and caution in using it.