The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-29

A sickening accident yesterday morn
ing resulted in the death yesterday af-
ternoon of an infant whose body had
been horribly burned while II was lying
in a crib. The crib was set on fire by
a 5-year-old boy, brother OF the burn
ed baby.
Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. f. REILLY, of 1415
Pine street, left their four young chill
dren in charge of a servant, Mary
Chambers, and went to Nay Aug Park
where they have the refreshment stand
privilege. The servant is 20 years old,
competent and careful. She went into
the cellar for pail of coal about 1890
o'clock and when returning saw smoke
issuing from the upper floor. the only
part of the house occupied by the fam
lily.
The girl hurried upstairs. She found
the crib in flames. Snatching the in
fant, Katherine, from the crib the girl
threw the bed clothing out of the win
dow. The child was horribly burned.
Hurried questioning showed that the
infants 5-year-old brother. Tommy,
had been playing with matches and
had deliberately set fire to the cloth
ing which covered the little one. A
call was hurried to DR.. s. II. Voor-
hees, of Pine street. He was FORUM
ately available and able to give the
case immediate attention. While he
was dressing the burns the father and
mother, the latter frantic with alarm,
returned from the park to where a
summons for them had been sent. 1t
was at first believed the mother would
collapse with nervous prostration.
LITERALLY ROASTED.
DR.. Voorhees, found that both arms,
the right leg and the right side of the
face and body had been literally roast
ed by the flames which had burned
slowly and with the seeming intention
of prolonging the little ones suffering.
Olive oil and the whites of eggs were
applied to the burned parts which
were wrapped with medcated cotton
and bandaged
1t was Dr. Voorhees, opinion that If
the child lived at least one of it's arms
and perhaps both would have to be
amputated. 1t was not known whether
any Of the fame had been inhaled.
Were this the case no hopes of recovery
could have been entertained.
At 1 o'clock DR.. voorhees,, DR.. Webb,
of the Lackawanna hospital, DIR. P. A.
Manley and DR.. Roos held a consulta-
tion in the case. They resolved to re-
dress the burns and examine them. The
baby was. in a semi-comatose condi-
tion. 1t was apparent she could not
live The re-dressing had not long
been applied when death mercifully
ended the little ones sufferings.
On Sunday of last week two of the
| four children eluded the servant S
| watchfulness and run away. Consider
! able alarm was felt for their safety
until they appeared at their parents
| refreshment stand in the park. Tc
| guard against the repetition of that ep.
| isode Mrs. Reilly yesterday secured the
services of girl about IL years Of age
to assist the servant in watching the
| little ones.
PLAYED WITH MATCHES.
The girl was in the yard with the
oldest and the next to the youngest
child when the accident happened
Tommy, though unmatched for only q
moment, took advantage of the oppor'
tunity to play with matches the use
of which had been particularly forbid
| den him.
The case appears more pathetic from
the fact that the only girl among tn,
four children was the burned infant.