Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-10-18
11-YEAR -OLD GIRL
Victim Of FIRE

daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Patrick Nc
Vey, Ash street, took fire, the last
shred nearly burning from her body,
the injuries inflicted being of such a
serious nature that death resulted
about twelve hours later.
The terrible occurrence took place
shortly after one o'clock. The family
of Harry Hancock, who resided a coup
lie of doors from the McVey home, were
moving and some papers, which had
lain under the carpet, had been carried
out into the back yard and set on fire.
The fire, il was supposed, had burned
out and the several women who were
assisting at the moving were busy III
the house, when they were startled by
loud and agoniZed screams III the back
ward while nearly at the same moment
Margaret Powers and Cora Scott, two
little girls playing in the rear. came
flying front crying that Lizzie McNey
was on fire. Mrs. Hancock, Mrs. Eu-
gene Harder, and Mrs. George f. Boud-
man, followed by Ralph Fisher. who
was hauling the goods, instinctlvely
rushed into the back yard to save the
child.
A spectacle followed that will haunt
them to their dying days. The child
was already pillar of flame and,
frantic with pain and terror, could not
be controlled loug enough to make the
efforts to extinguish the fire OF any
avail. While Ralph Fisher, regardless
of his own safety tried to tear the
clothing off the child, Mrs. Harder and
Mrs. Hancock seized rug with the
intention of smothering out the fire,
but before they could use it the child
broke loose from Mr.. Fisher and made
dash for Mrs Boudman. Every one
was in peril of being set on fire by the
frantic child, who screaming and beat
ing off the flames that darted up
around her face dashed first III one
direction and then in another. Mrs.
Boudman barely escaped coming III
contact with the burning child, when
Mr.. Fisher, assisted by Wallace Scott,
who bv this time had arriv d. again
caught the child and tore from her
BODY the remnant of clothing that still
remained on her person. In the oper-
alton both men were burned about the
hands. Mr.. Fisher so badly that he was
unable TO continue at work.
The child herself was a frightful OBJ
ject. Her hair and her eyebrows were
burned from her head. Her face and
her lips were shockingly burned and
the blood oozed from her mouth. Her
one limb from her hip to her knee was
burned raw. while on her entire body
from her knees to the top of her head
/ the skin was burned off in large spots.
Notwithstanding she did not lose con
sciOusness.
Some one flew to Frank Russell 5
grocery. a square or so away, and call
ell DR.. Paules by telephone. Pending
the physician arrival the child bore
her awful agony in way that was re-
markable. Her little body with its
awful tortures presented a picture that
melted the stoutest heart, while the
| nauseating odor of burned flesh added
| to the horror of the situation.
As soon as DR. Paules arrived the
usual remedies in such cases were ap-
piled. The body was wrapped in cot.
| ton, which excluded the air and
brought some relief. The child seem
ed to rest fairly easily Saturday even
| ing, but while the doctor did what he
could TO assure the family he could
not lose sight of the fact that the in
| juries were of very grave sort. The
mouth was still bleeding and the
| amount of injury sustained internally
| could not be fully ascertained. In cases
| of that kind, even when the patient
promises to recover from the immedi-
ate effect of the burning, it frequent
ly happens that stomach dcrange-
ment follows that results in death.
In the case of little Lizzie McNey
the result did not long hang in the
balance. Her injury as can easily be
imagined was of the very gravest sort.
Death proved kindly and came to heI
relief shortly after midnight.
How the little girl happened to take
fire is not exactly known. With the
other two little girls both smaller than
herself, it would seem, she was playing
in the back yard of the residence be
ing vacated. Whether she revived the
flame and continued to feed it Will
paper and thus took fire, or in playing
accidentally came in contact with th'
smouldering embers no one seems t'
know. 1t is very sad affair. Lizzi'
was a bright and lovable child an'
the stricken parents have the deepes
sympathy in this the hour of their sa'
trial and bereavement.
Elysburg Couple Welded.
Miss Sadie Reichenbach and Simo
| ID u,.c bntb pF EIysburg were uuit