The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-10-15
BURNED TO DEATH.
Frightful Death Of Little Bertha
Walker of Navarro.
Her Clothing Catches Fire and She Is
Almost Roasted Alive-.-Partioulers Of
the Sad Accident.

Bertha Elnora, the six year old daughter
of EdwardJ. Walker of Navarro met with
serious accident last night which result.
ed in the child's death.
The little girl was down stairs while the
children to bed. In some manner un-
known to the mother, the clothing of the
girl caught fire and soon she was in a
blaze. The child cried Sire" and the
mother started down stairs. So eager was
she to reach her child that she fell almost
the entire length of the stairs.
When tho mother finally picked herself
up she found her daughter in flames. The
child screamed and the mother was nearly
wild. An unsuccessful attempt was made
to put out the blaze. The girl finally
rushed out of the house, crying for her
papa. She started toward his office, but
fell on the way all of her clothes having
burned off.
Tender hands carried the little one home,
and everything possible was done to re-
lieve her sufrerings. The accident oc-
cured at 1880 o'clock and at 30 this
morning the child breathed her last, hav-
ing suffered the most intense pain. The
funeral will be held Thursday afternoon
at 2:30 o'clock from the Catholic church at
Navarro.
Coroner John H. Openhimer was noti.
fed this morning and left at once TO view
the remains.
Mr.. and Mrs. Walker have the sympathy
of q host of friends in this their great be.
reavement. Mr.. Walker has for years
been the Navarro correspondent of the
NEws.DEMooRAT and was we'll known In
this city. He is member Of the present
grand jury,
SUFFERED TEaRIpLE AGONY.
NAVARRO, o., Oct. 14.-[Special.l-A
NEws-DEMooRAT reporter left Canton
early Wednesday forenoon, arriving here
at about noon. The entire community is
greatly excited and grieved over the cad
event Of last evening. No case in the his
tory of this quiet place has so deeply
touched the hearts of the citizens gener-
ally, and sympathy is expressed on all
sides for the bereaved parents.
The victim of the terrible accident was
u sweet, winsome little child, who, though
young in years, had by her delightfully."-
pleasant manners, crept into the hearts
of old and young alike.
Mrs. Walker had gone up stairs to put
the other children to bed, leaving Bertha
alone in the room below, il being the in
tention of the mother to take the child up
street a short time later. When Mrs.
Walker came down stairs she found her
little daughter in flames, and overcome
with alarm and fear and anxiety, fell TO
the floor. 1t is thought that the child
opened the door herself and then ran into
the street, whore she fell down moment
later literally burned to crisp.
When picked up, the little body was en-
tirely naked, the only clothing upon her
being tuft of her frock about the wrist.
In the room where her clothes ignited
there is an ordinary closed stove and it is
thought that her clothes came in contact
with the fire in the stove, though under
many circumstances this might not occur,
as the door is comparatively high from
the floor.
II would be impossible to describe the
agony of the little one. Her suGferings
were heart rending and ended only in
death. Mrs. Walker is completely pros
trated with grief.
~ was only trying to get warm" MUIR
INJURED the little household treasure, and q
few moments later the soul left it's tene-
ment of clay and took up its abode in the
! realms above.