The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-03-21
A HORRIBLE DEATH.
SUFFERED BY TWO WOMEN LIV.
ING ALONE IN ST. PAUL.
An Attempt to Start a Fire with
Kerosene Causes an Explosion I'm
Which Mrs. Summer and Miss
Ciossen Are Badly Burned, 4 81

st. Paul, March ia most horrible
accident occurred yesterday morning
whereby Mrs. Frances Sumner and
Miss Nellie Closson suffered awful
deaths. They. We're roasted to death
IN little fire in their residence. Miss
Ciosson lived until 2:55 in the after
noon and Mrs. Sumner until 5:45.
Mrs. Frances Sumner, who was d.
vorced woman, lived at 1913 Payne ave-
nue.. She was thirty eight years old,
and had for companion her niece,
Miss Nellie Closson, twenty-one years
OF age. They occupied rooms on the
first floor Of the house, the second and
third stories being occupied by Con-
ductor Wyman, his wife and little
child.
Mrs. Sumner arose little after Z
o'clock yesterday morning to light a
fire In the stove, using kerosene The
fire leaped UP with an explosion and
set fire to the oil in the can which Mrs.
Sumner had in he: hand. It exploded
and was hurled to the ceiling. In
falling toward the floor it struck a
lighted kerosene lamp, which was
turned over and also exploded. The
room was filled with fire and smoke
and Mrs. Summers clothing caught fire
Immediately. Miss Closson was Sleep
Ing In the adjoining apartment, which
was separated from the sitting room,
where the accident occurred, by a pair
Of portiers.
Thinking the entire house was on
fire Miss Closson hastily wrapped her.
self in heavy quilt and
Rushed Through the Flames
toward a window. The room was a
seething furnace, the Dir seemed to be
on fire, and the shrieking women
breathed the living fame. How Miss
Closson retained life enough to stand
Juggling at the fastenings of the win
dow while the burning gases in the
room surged about her, burning off
the covering and baking her living
flesh, may not be told. She did. how
ever, retain her senses, and finally got
the window open and jumped out in
the midst of burst of fire which
rushed through the vent afforded by
the open window. The unfortunate
woman was entirely nude except for
some portions Of her underclothing
which had burned into her blackened
nesh, and the keen air in her scared
lungs maddened her. She ran scream
Ing dreadfully up and down the walk,
leaving bloody footprints to mark her
movements, until she fell exhausted as
the hremen arrived. She was picked
up conscious and
Suffering Awful Agony,
ana carried into a nearby grocery
store. Ihe tlremen made their way
into the house and found few patches
OF nre In the room in which the ex-
ploslon occurred. It was but q mo-
ments work to extinguish the fire, and
the men made their way into the kitch
en-. room adjoining that in which The
fatality took place. -. ...---: 49,. -,
There Nus. Sumner was found, She
was crouched on her hands and knees
In the attitude of prayer, with her
clasped hands extended before her. her
race and body burned and blackened
IN a shocking manner, and praying
aloud, in voice that awed the fire
men, to be delivered from her awful
suffering.
Dr. Heath arrived at about this time
ana examined Miss Closson first. It.
was at once apparent that there was
no nope Of saving her life, and NOR
phlne was administered to alleviate
hrr pain, but she remained conscious
and suffered to the last. Before dv
Ing Miss Closson told Of the entire oc-
currence at the house. She said she
Formerly lived at Boscobel, Wis.
where her father. B. D. Gosson. still
resides. She left his home to come to
81 Paul and engage in the millinery
business. She was pretty brunette,
and was engaged to be married tn
Conductor Alfred. of the Omaha road
Mrs. Summers home was il. Richland
Center, Wis. Mrs. Sumner came tn
st. Paul few years ago with her hns-
band, from whom she obtained q d.
vorce some time ago on the grounds
Of non-support