The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-09
ELDERLY WOMAN
is ASPHYXIATED
Mrs. j. L. Eye Overcome by
Smoke From Her Burn
ing Bed.
EVIDENCE OF 4 STRUGGLE
FIRE CAUSED BY ELECTRIC
LIGHT BURNER.

with face and garments discolored by
| smoke, the body of Mrs. j. L. Eye, a mu-
sic teacher. was taken from the room she
| occupied at Sc West Fourth South street,
early yesterday morning Mrs Eye had
| been asphyxiated by Smoke during the
night. Her bed had taken fire from a
broken incandescent globe and had prob
ably smouldered for hours. The fire was
discovered just as it was on the point
of bursting into flames which might have
destroyed the entire house.
Mrs. Eye was a widow. so years old,
and lived alone in a small room on the
second floor of the house. which is owned
by Mrs. j. l.. Kinney and conducted by
Mr.. and Mrs. j. s. Nelson 1t was her
custom to spend the day going from the
nome OF one pupil to that of another and
TO return to the West Fourth South street
house in the evening. Old age had made
her keenly susceptible to changes in the
weather. 1t is believed that when she
went to bed on Thursday night she drew
the incandescent burner under the covers,
probably to warm her feet. She may have
forgotten to remove the burner before
falling asleep, and in tossing about during
globe At any rate. the covering and
mattress caught fire from the electric
burner. In the middle of the night the
smoke must have disturbed Mrs. Eye.
causing her to rise from her bed and
attempt TO reach the door.
inoiSdtiOnS OF d struggle.
She was then probably choked with the
tunes and must have fallen in the spot
where her body was found. half Way
between the bed and the door. Indications
about the room show that the old woman
made struggle to leave the ROOM but
was too weak TO make her escape
The burning bed threw out a dense
smoke, which filled the room. As every
crevice had been filled to keep out
draughts from its aged occupant, there
lAAe- g..
Every article in the room was stained
yellow or brown by the smoke. Even
the face of the dead woman and the gar
ments she wore were stained. Everything
that had been white, old newspapers.
sheets of music, towels. chinaware and
wearing apparel showed a yellow tinge
Mrs. Eyes alarm clock. which had been
set for o'clock, had stopped al o'clock.
Mr.. Nelson believes that it was stopped
by the smoke, but the old woman may
have forgotten to wind it before retiring.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nelson discovered the fire
about 6 o'clock yesterday morning. Mr..
Nelson got up early, intending to go to
Stockton.
StumbIes Over Body.
Smelling smoke in the hallway he went
with Mrs. Nelson to make an investiga-
ton. The wife opened Mrs. Eyes door.
after vainly rapping to arouse the old
woman. but was driven back by a cloud
of smothering smoke. Fearing that the
to her husband, who ran to the room,
followed by several of the dodgers. who
had been awakened when the Nelson's
went from door to door making inquiries
about the smoke.
The smoke poured forth with such force
that the men were driven back but after
time Nelson decided to make a dash
into the room and throw open the win
dow. AS he ran across the room he STUN
bled against the body of the music teach
er. Startled, he yelled to one of the men
in the hallway to rescue the old woman,
not knowing at the time that she was
dead. Then he threw up the window and
staggered out to the fresh air, almost
overcome by the choking fumes.
By that time Mrs. Eyes body had been
taken into room on the other side of
the hall. She had then been dead for
some time.
When the smoke cleared away il was
found that the lower part of the old wo-
mans bed was burned to cinder. The
! fire must have smouldered for many
hours. slowly eating its way from the
| foot to the head of the bed.
! Mrs. Eye came here from Topeka. Kan.
about eight years ago. She had two
daughters and a son. One daughter Mrs
| ]. Schriever of Eureka, has taken charge
of the funeral arrangements. The other
daughter is married and lives in San
Francisco. 1t is not known where the son
now lives.
I Mrs. Eye was highly cultured and re-
I favOrite in eastern society. The widow