The morning call., 1891-08-31
BURNED TO DEATH.
Terrible Calamity Results From IL
Use of Gasoline.

Use of Gasoline.
A gasoline stove recently exploded with
terrible effect in the basement of the resi-
dence of Michael COouey. 1927 Finney av-
enue, ST. Louis, causing the death of one Of
his daughters, and severely burning her
brother and sister. Miss Nellie COoney, aged
Is, an advanced student of the High School,
had just arisen, and clad only in her thin
night garments, had descended to the base
ment accompanied by her younger sister.
Jennie, to light the fire preparatory to cook
ing the morning meal. The family had been
using a gasoline stove for the past ten years.
and.they had no fear. Ella filed the cup
with oil, and her little sister remarked thati
was somewhat too full. Nellie did not think
SO, however, and applied the match. In
stantly the apparatus was mass of flames,
and the frightened girls quickly set about
eXtnguishing the blaze. Jennie ran out
carpet that lay near by and threw it over
the can. So suddenly did she attempt to
smother the blaze that she turned the stove
over, and the deadly fluid, already ignited.
spread itself over her light attire. Her
terrified screams attracted Jennie's ntten-
ton, and she screamed: "Oh, mamma,
Nellie's on fire" Kate. her elder sister.
Immediately rushed down, and in a
frantic effort to subdue the blaze was burned
severely about the lower part of the
body. Owen Cooney, an elder brother. fol-
lowed quickly and made desperate at
tempt to save his two unfortunate sisters.
Taking Katie in his arms, he tried to carry
her out, and, at the same time, drag Nellie
out with his disengaged hand. The effort
was too much. and Nellie, though suffering
the most excruciatng pain, told him to
leave her and take her sister. Owen, him.
self badly burned, and after sustaining two
broken ribs in falling, finally got Katie to
a place of safety. In the meantime the
rest of the family and number of the
neighbors had been aroused and all flocked
to poor Nellie's assistance. Tie blaze had
been spreading and the kitchen furniture
was fast being consumed. @The changing of
many harsh bells announced the arrival OF
the Fire Department.
The scene of the calamity was just oppo-
site the LiDdell Railway car-shed, and a
number of the employees of the road tiocked
TO the house. Motorneer Jeffers and one Of
the fremen lifted up the poor girl and car
ried her up the stairs outside and placed
her on the grass in front of the house. Her
clothing had been entirely consumed, and
when laid out on the lawn she moaned for
covering A blanket was dropped out of
the window above by her mother, and the
girl was carried, almost lifeless, into the
residence of Mrs. w. w. Jackson. 3721A
Finney avenue. Drs. LOTUS and Vaughn
arrived in few minutes and did their best
her body fearfully burned, the color being
brown on every portion of the body, with
the exception of small spot on the back of
her head. The hair on the front portion of
the head had been burned entirely off.
Reposing on bed In the jackson resi-
dence, with eyes closed, the suffering girl
remained conscious until about IL o'clock.
Then she lost consciousness. From this on
she sank gradually and at 2:30 o'clock she
died.-St Louis Globe-DemOcrat.