The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-12
VICTIMS OF GASOLINE
TWO MINNEAPOLIS WOMEN AND A
CHILD FATALLY BURNED
Hihser In Agony for Hours
before Death Came to Their Re-
hef-Pathetic Anxiety of tbe
mother for Her Babe-A Horrible
Spectacle. +

MRS; IDA PETERSON, 2s years old
AOBfEY ,s c. PETERSON, her 2O-months'-
MAZDA BAEHR, Mrs. Peterson's 14-year- old
sister. "A 'io
Covered with flames and in the direst
agony, Mrs. Ida Peterson refused ro
ce helped, but begged that those who
came 10 her assistance should rescue
her infant SON.
Inc Peterson family consisted Of
andrew c. Peterson. his wife, Ida, their
twenty y-months-old son, Aubrey c. and
MRS. Peterson's fourteen-year-oI sis
ter, NADIA Baehr. They occupied the
SECOND story of the frame dwelling at
I1ld Ienth avenue south. Minneapolis.
Mr: Peterson is printer.
Mrs. Peterson used a gasoline stova
IN cooking supper. After lighting tho
burners she saw there was not suf1-
clent gasoline in the tank to cook the
meal. Thereupon she turned down the
names. Then she filled a small can
with the deadly oil and began to pour
1t into the tank Of the stove. But she
had forgotten to wait until the flames
mad been extinguished.
Two in Flames.
Without warning there was deafen-
ing report, q binding flash and the
room was filled with smoke and flames
Mrs. Peterson's clothes were covered
with burning gasoline In frantic agony
she rushed to the front room, where
she met her sister. The latter tried to
beat out the flames, but in so doing her
own clothes ignited. Still they both at
tempted to extinguish the flames, but
without success.
Edward Peterson Iivae ,,,I+l II. ..tp.
and family on the lower floor of the
same house. He was in the back yard
when he heard the report. He rushed
up the rear stairs, the only entrance
TO the upper story, but, upon reaching
the Kitchen door, was driven back by
the smoke and flames. Then he ran
down the steps and around to the
front of the house. He was unable to
find ladder, and so climbed up the
pillars of the front porch.
Mada Baehr by this time had reach
ed the top of the porch. She was COW
cred with flames, while a half dozen
men stood in front watching the terri
BILE sight, but still offering no helping
hand. Peterson tried to get her to
Jump, so that she could be assisted,
but she refused. Then Peterson broke
in a window, and, at the same time,
Mrs. Peterson half jumped, half rolled
out.
1t was sight never to be forgotten,
thought Only of Her Babe.
The poor woman's flesh was burn
Ing. Her hair and eyebrows had been
s1nged off. Her clothes had been licked
or by the flames and to add to her
agony she was in a frantic state Of
mind about her infant. Ed Peterson
tried to extinguish the fire as best he
could with his hands and coat, while
his wife was procuring blankets for
the same purpose, but Mrs. Peterson
would not let him put out a hand to
help her until her son had been rescued
from the fiery furnace. Ed Peterson
mace several Intellectual attempts to
get into the house for the baby, kut it
was useless at the time. Fire and
smoke prevented.
MAZDA Baehr in the meantime had
rolled off the porch and was picked I'D
by Mrs. Ed Peterson with the help Of
others She was hastily carried into
the dwelling on the first floor, where
she was wrapped in such manner
That the fire was soon out But she
presented a horrible sight Her hair
was almost burned to the scalp. Her
face was fearfully scorched, while her
entire body, excepting the soles of her
feet, was black.
While Ed Peterson was doing his
best to help the unfortunates and was
begging the idle crowd to help him,
his wife was doing her best to arouse
the neighbors to their sense of duty.
Several of them went up the rear
stairs and with buckets of water put
out the flames, which did little ma
terial damage to the house and con-
tents. In the meantime some one had
sent in the alarm of fire, but the serv-
ices Of the firemen were unnecessary
as far as fighting flames.
large crowd of people gathered and
lent helping hands. A doctor hap
pened to be in the crowd, and he vol
unteered his services. Messengers
were sent for other physicians, while
a call was sent for the city ambu-
lance.
Little Aubrey Peterson was the least
burned Of the three, but he had in
hailed so much smoke and flame that
his death was a certainty. Ed Peter
son rescued him also. After Peterson
had done what he could for the mother.
he made his way to the kitchen.
Sitting in the corner crying, with al
most every piece of clothing burned
off, he was wet, and, evidently, when
the flames had been extinguished, the
child had not been noticed
AS Andrew Peterson came In sight Of
his home the city ambulance was car
rying away his loved ones. The hus-
bands grief was pitiable to behold.
and after he heard of the death of his
wife and little son last night it was
almost more than he could bear.
After being taken to the hospital 10
the women's ward there was little that
could be done for the patients. The doc
tors at once pronounced each case IA
tai. Mrs. Peterson and the child pass
ed away at $50 last night, while the
other victim fingered until shortly af-
ter midnight
No arrangements for the funeral
had been made last night AS 1t was
a clear case of accident, Coroner Dem
mis- will not be called upon to hold on
investigation.
WISCONSIN,