The evening world., 1908-10-15
PARALYT|C GIRL
IS OVERCOME BY
NEARBY GAS LEAK
Invalid Is Found Unconscious
From Fumes Emitted
Within Reach.
COULD NOT LIFT ARM.
Watches Death Steal Upon
Her From Stove She Was
Unable to Reach.
COULD NOT LIFT ARM.

A tragic situation was made for Miss
Catherine Phelan, young woman who
for three years has been a helpless
paralytic, when she sat in the kitchen
of her home at No $40 West One Hun
nred and Eighteenth street. this after
noon. and saw a gas tube uncouple from
the lighted stove and then felt the gas
hssail her senses.
Although conscious of everything that
went on about her. and in full posses
sion of all her mental faculties, Miss
Phelan can neither lift hand or foot,
nor speak above a faint whisper. She
has lived with her younger sister, Mar
Earet. since she was afflicted with
paralysis.
Shortly before noon to-day the sister
prepared soup and set II on the
stove. Catherine was carried into the
room to watch her sister prepare
luncheon and a book was propped in her
lap SO she could read. Presently the
younger sister thought OF something she
lad neglected to purchase and set out
Tor a store.
HclpleSc IN Face or Death.
81. had scarce H.. SO -: invalid.
Glnncing at the stove, Jaw the tube NJ
the lighted burner slip OF and the
lame so out. Her right hand was not
four feet from the tube. which had
fallen to the floor. yet she was helpless
TO reach 1t. She struggled to call out.
but could only whisper.
The doors and windows Of the
kitchen were closed and as the volume
of gas increased, the unfortunate young
woman stifled and choked. If she could
only have moved her foot. she might
have put 1t on the tube and stopped
flow of gas.
She began to count the minutes that
should intervene before her sisters re-
turn. praying that no neighbor would
for few moments gossip with her, for
she realized that slight delay would
mean death. Time and again she sought
TO throw her voice above n whisper.
but failed. choking and gasplng.
Desperate, but Helpless.
Gradually her breathing became more
1fficut and there was a heavy pounding
in her ears. She watched the little tube
Mt her feet and almost imagined she
rould see the deadly fumes rush from it.
She thought of hundred ways in which
she might escape death. could she only
move some of the paralyzed muscles.
She struggled to throw herself from the
chair. thinking that If she could fall
upon the tube she could grasp II, some
how, and stop the lethal flow.
Then her senses began TO leave her.
und finally. as she heard the faint echo
OF her sisters step upon the stairs, she
lost consciousness. Her helpless body
fell half over the chair as the sister
burst into the room and realized what
mad happened
First Aid Saved Her.
The younger sister thought her sis
ter was dead, and her screams were
heard out in the street by Policeman
Eaight lie summoned DR.. Rubel from
the ]. Hood Wright Hospital and car
ried the senseless para ytic 70 an open
the injured, and when the surgeon
came he said that only this prompt
action had saved the invalids life.
When restored 10 consciousness she
told her sister oc The torture she lGd
suffered IN her h3lp!essness, describing
each frantic moment during which size
had watched the march Of death iron.
utes longer. said the surgeon, and she
would have been dead.