The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-06
LATEST OAKLAND NEWS,
Rachael Smith, a SeVen-Year-
Old Girl, Burned to
Death.
HAD A MANIA FOR FIRES.
j. II. Duckworth and Miss Navarro
Married in a Romantic
Manner.

last, ana Oleu
The girl had mania for building fires,
and had kept the neighborhood in terror
for long time through her incendiary
propensities.
On Thursday she collected great guam
tity of paper from empty lots in the neigh
borhood, and started a bonfire in the
street. A number of the neighbors' chill
dren were invited to participate in dance
about the pile of burning refuse, but were
called away by their parents, and Rachael
continued her play by herself. Suddenly
a tongue of flame caught her light dress,
and in a moment she was on fire.
A neighbor, Mrs. Minnie Becker, saw her
danger, and rushing to her assistance, at
tempted to subdue the flames. Her dress,
too, caught fire, and she was for mo-
ment in danger of being burned to death.
Passers-by put out the fire, which had
burned nearly all the clothes from the
childs body and she was carried into her
home. where physicians who were called
did all they could to alleviate her suffer-
ings. Her back and lower extremities
were badly burned and the doctors at once
pronounced her case hopeless.
The Smith family, to which the dead
girl belonged, has a sad history. The
father. Abraham Smith, is blind, and his
household consisting of four small chill
dren besides the one who was burned, have
subsisted on charity for years.
About year ago his wife died and since
that time the children roamed the streets
at viii and have caused the authorities no
end of trouble through their begging pro-
pensities.
Mrs Sanford of the Humane Society has
repeatedly tried to have the younger chill
dren sent to some public institution where
they could be cared for, but the father al
ways resisted such efforts, pleading that
he needed some one to look after him in
his helpless state and that it would be
cruel to deprive him of the company of
his children.
This is the third child Smith has lost
within two years.
Mrs. Becker was not badly burned, but
was Frustrated by fear and excitement.
A Romantic Marriage.
John Henry Duckworth of Flagstaff,
Ariz., and Floria Dell Navarro of Napoleon,
Ohio, were married on Thursday morning
under romantic circumstances.
The couple had been engaged for a year,
never having seen each other but having
carried on their courtship through cor
respondence. Mr.. Duckworth was saving
his money with the greatest care and had
almost reached the amount necessary to
go East and claim his bride when the min
ing nIn WHICH ne WAS Working OFQeTeQ
him to Juneau, Alaska, to look up some
properties there in which they were inter-
ested. There was no time to go East and
marry, as he must catch the next steam er
sailing for the far north, but he decided
that he would not be cheated out of con-
nubial bliss.
A rapid calculation convinced him that
Miss Navarro could reach here and become
Mrs Duckworth before Yesterdays
steamer sailed, and he Immediately wired
her to start at once, promising to meet her
in Oakland. She was ready to follow her
lover to the north pole if necessary, and
left her home at once. When she arrived
Duckworth met her at Sixteenth street,
the County Clerk was at once called upon
for license and a minister did the rest.
The steamer which sailed yesterday car
Tied them to their northern destination,
and Cupid Ewing is congratulating him
self on a deed well done.
Complain of street Meetings.
Oakland merchants are complaining to
the police authorities of the gospel meet
ings which ministers of various denomina-
tions are beginning to hold on the street.
Several weeks ago they induced the City
Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting
street gatherings of any kind, claiming
that such meetings were preiudicial to
their business and the best interests of the
. city.
Since that time the Salvation Army has
been compelled 10 hold its services indoors
and the merchants we're happy. While
not threatening to have the ministers ar
rested for holding their meetings, a num-
Der OF business men have called the atten-
ton of Chief Schaefer to the fact that they
are committing a misdemeanor and have
asked him 10 put stop to the matter.
The meetings went on as usual last even
ing and another protest will be made to-
day. In case the police refuse to act war
rants Will probably be sworn out for the
arrest of the ministers.
Handicap Road Race.
The Oakland High School Cycling Club
viii hold fve-mile handicap road race
from High street to San Leandro, starting
from. the former point at 10 o'clock this
morning.
" The object of the race is to try the speedy
men of the club and ascertain which of
them is best qualified to represent the club
in the relay race, which the Oakland lads
are trying to arrange with the San Jose
High School Club.
The entries and handicaps for the race
are as follows: Ora, Kitchen and Gooch.
9scratch; Colby and Dazell, 80 Sec; Fiege
and Smith, As sec; Fife. Hume, Gilman
and Lloyd, l min.; Koenig and Inogle. ]
min. 80 Sec; Mahoney and Baker, min.
Agnew, Finkinstedt, Goodrich, Redington
and Kurtz, 2 min. 80 sec.
The winners of first and second place
and first and second time will receive
handsome prizes.
Struck by a Train.
70 Thomas E. Stack, a laborer employed on
the narrow-gauge mole, had a narrow
escape from death yesterday morning,
and is now in the hospital, being treated
for q broken shoulder-blade and various
bruises and cuts. He failed to heed the
warming whistle of train that was speed
ing westward along the mole, and was
struck and thrown into the water. He
was fished out by his fellow-workmen after
becoming thoroughly exhausted by his
struggles.
DR.. Anthony Buried.
The funeral Of the late DIR. A. G. An
thony was held from the family residence,
1901 Eighth street, yesterday morning. a
large number of mourning friends being
present. The burial took place under the
auspices OF the Order of Chosen Friends.
Woodmen OF the World and Legion of
Honor, OF which he was prominent mem
Der.
BERKELEY.
The Prohibition party held a convention
on Thursday evening in Woodmen Hall to