Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-29
BURNED TO DEATH
HEATING IMMINENT
Saucer of Liniment Which Mrs.
Maggie Rocks Was Warming
Catches Fire, Igniting
Her Clothing.

Mrs Maggie Rocks. % years of age. the
wife Of John NJ. Rocks, OF 50 Central
avenue, after suffering excTuciating ag-
ony from burns received Monday after
noon, arose in her bed screaming for
water, and then fell back Hfeless.
Mrs Rocks death occurred at 8
o'clock Tuesday morning at the Grady
hospital. whittier she was taken within a
few minutes after she received her
burns.
Mrs. Rocks never for an instant lost
consciousness. On account of her seri-
Gus condition no soothing opiate could
be administered and for Is hours the
young woman suffered agony with great
fortitude.
In a room at her home s5 Central ave.
nue., about ) o'clock Monday afternoon,
Mrs Rocks was heating in a china sau-
Ger, a IMMINENT containing turpentine.
which she was in the habit of applying
to her husbands back which was in
jured while he was at work some time
ago.
EMINENT CATCHES FIRE.
She had placed the saucer on the
hearth, near the fire, and was waiting
until the liniment would be hot enough
for use. Mr.. Rocks expectorated into
the fire causing a number of sparks to
fly into the liniment which was ignited
instantly.
Not thinking of danger to herself, Mrs.
Rocks seized the saucer, and with a
light cotton apron. which she was wear
ing, attempted to extinguish the blaze.
Part of the flaming liniment was spilled
on the floor and her apron was son in
blaze.
In a second the entire apron was
flame and other portions of her clothing
caught.
CRIES TO HER HUSBAND.
Not for an instant losing her self-con-
troll. Mrs. Rocks rushed from the room
to the back porch, crying to her hus-.
band to tear off the blazing garments.
In fear and excitement Mr.. Rocks be-
gan tearing and ripping OF the clothing,
but even in the few seconds the work
necessitated, his wife received burns
which proved fatal .--
The husband was aided by Mandie
Lumpkin, an aged negress. living in the
basement of an adjoining house, who
hearing the screams was the first person
to come with assistance.
MI Rocks himself was suffering from
serious burns on his hands and in his
throat caused by his swallowing a part
of the flame. ..<- s+- p.
The negress gently placed Mrs Roolss
on the floor of the porch and running
a
with which she covered her. = -, -. ST.
i Charles E. Tfbbs "a young man board
ing with the Rocks was just returning to
the house from his work. On hearing the
screams he ran to the back poreh! where
he found the house had been ignited In
the room where the IMMINENT was spilled.
Without calling the fire department Tibbs
succeeded in extinguishing the blaze.
Hearing the screams, over 100 people
had gathered from the street and the ad-
joining house to do what was in their
power. The Grady hospital was called,
and in about 20 minutes from the time
Mrs Rocks first caught fire the ambu-
lance arrived. F'i~ -
LET ME DIE ATs HOME"
After the accompanying physician had
rendered first aid to the injured, Mrs.
Rocks pitifully begged that she be left
in the house, saying that she knew that
she was in a dying condition and that she
preferred to die in her own home.
1t was thought wise, however. that she
be taken to the hospital. Wrapping her
body in soft blanket, the physicians
placed her in the ambulance and rushed
to the hospital, where everything possible
was done for her.
It seems that Mrs. Rocks had swallowed
a portion of the flame. Her entire body
was badly burned and her hair above the
forehead was completely singed away.
Mr. Rocks was able to walk to the hos
pitaI. where, after his wife had been
cared for, his burns were dressed.
During the entire night he sat by the
bedside of his wifs., in grief at her agony.
He left the hospital about O'Clock Tues
day morning, thinking that his wife would
possibly recover and feeling certain GER
tain that she would not die during the
day. $3.50. 81.
He was in the room at his home where
the accident happened, explaining the af-
fair to newspaper men, when Mr.. Floyd,
a friend Of the family. brought the sad
news that Mrs. Rocks had passed away.
Little May, the 7-year-old daughter OF
Mrs Rocks, burst into storm of tears.
Mr.. and Mrs. Rocks had been residents
of Atlanta for the past eight years, COM
ing here from Pidcock, Ga.