Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-16
lancaster fntelIiQenrer,
EVENING. AUG. 10. 1881.
A Terrible Death.
a Crazy Woman Sets Fire 20 Herself an
Then Takes . Walk.

a Crazy Woman Sets Fire 20 Herself and
Then Takes . Walk.
Mr.. John Saunders, q florist, is one of
the Oldest citizens of Elizabeth, N. j. he
is more than 60 years of age, and his wife,
whom he married about 6 years ago, was
a little over 40. She was a widow, and had
saved some money, having been employed
for many years as q domestic in the house
of Colonel Kane, of Elizabeth. After her
second marriage, some five months ago,
she gave up her occupation in Colonel
Kane's house and went to live with her
husband, who was then in comfortable
circumstances. and working as gardener
for Colonel Kane. saunders lost or re
signed his occupation, and his wife grew
very dcspondent. She blamed herself for
having married him. and threatened on
various occasions to destroy herself. She
had some small property left her by her
first husband, but she seemed to be
haunted by a fear of approaching poverty.
Mr.. Saunders finally obtained the position
of gardener for Mr.. Blakely, Of Elizabeth,
and was in receipt Of good wages; but this
did not encourage his wife, who still
lamented over what she believed to be his
lack of occupation, he fruitlessly endeavOr-
ing to undeceive her.
On Thursday morning she appeared to
he especially discouraged, and spoke of
the wretched prospect before her. She was
not in good health, and Eer husband sup
posed that her discomfort was due to her
illness. They retired early in the evening,
and when Mr.. Saunders awOke on Friday
morning his wife was not in the house.
ShOwas in the Labit Of gong down stairs
and lighting the fire early every morning,
and at first Mr.. Saunders was not alarm
ed but as the time passed and she did
not return, he remembered her threats of
suicide, ard grew q little uneasy. Dress
ing himself. he went down stairs to find
that while the preparations to light the
kitchen fire had been made, it had not
been lighted. Whiic he was examining
the premises a body that he could hardly
recognize as that of his wife was carried
by party of men into the house and laid
upon the bed. Life was not extinct, al
though the woman grOaned and muttered
to herself, no articulate sound passed her
lips, and she died in an hour after she was
brought home without having uttered a
word.
There were several burned matches lying
on the floor near the fireplace, but evil
dently none OF them had been applied to
the cOmbustible material in the range.
There was also a bottle containing kero-
sene oil standing near the door, but none
of the oil had been poured over the wood
and paper iE the fireplace, nor could any
be detected on tho burned garments Of
Mrs. Saunders. At first the question as
to the cause of Mrs. Saunders's death re
maincd unanswered but later in the day
some light was thrown upon the mystery.
A Mrs. Magee, living with her husband in
the same street, was looking out of her
bedroom window early on Thursday morn
ing, and she saw woman, wrapped in
flames, walking slowly past. Her clothes
were b!az :ng SO tiercely that Mrs. Magec
could not distinguish the features. But
she saw that the woman seemed unaffected
by the pain she must havo been suffel1uc,
for she uttered no cry and did not increase
her pace.
Mrs. Masee stared at her aghast until
she had almost passed the house. Then
she ran and awakened her husband and
hastily told him told him the story. He
arose, dressed himself rapidly, and taking
shawls and blankets hurried after the
woman and quickly overlook her. He
flung the blankets over her and soon ex.
ting guished the fire, bnt not before he was
horribly burned. She afforded him no as
sistance, neither did she attempt to i'm
pede his efforts. She simply remained
impassive, though apparently conscious.
This woman was Mrs. Saunders.