The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-17
MRS. FURTNEY DIES
FROM TERRIBLE BURNS
Aged Lady Succumbed at 1850 Today From Being
Badly Burned Early This Morning al
Her Franklin Street Home.
LIVED LITTLE OVER THREE HOURS
Coal Oil Lamp She Was Carrying Exploded or
Was Dropped by Her, Catching Her Clothes
Afire and Resulting In Death.

Mrs. Phoebe Furtney passed away
this morning at ten minutes to eleven
at Graham hospital from the terrible
burns which she received this morn
ing when her clothes caught fire in
some unknown manner from a coal
oil lamp which she was carrying. Rel
atives of the deceased have been noti-
fled and will arrive. Arrangements
for the funeral will be made later.
Mrs. Phoebe j. Furtney, met with
q terrible accident this morning short
ly past seven o'clock when a lighted
coal Oil lamp which she was using
in the kitchen of her home at GA
Franklin street, dropped or exploded
and in an instant her entire body
from ankles to head was enveloped In
mass of flames and her body so
terribly burned before assistance
could reach her thai attending physi-
clans hold out very little hope tor
her recovery, the injuries being re-
ceived from the flames which burnt
the clothing from her body, being
awful, and at the advanced age OF
seventy-three years, it is thought that
her accident this morning will prove
fatal. She is at present in Graham
hospital and receiving every medical
aid possible but it is not though
that she can survive the snock and
terrible burns which she has received.
The entire body from the neck down
is burned to crisp and it was with
difficulty that she was removed from
her home to the hospital.
The breast, back, arms, limbs and
entire abdomen are in fearful con-
tlition. the flames having ignited all
of her clothing with the exception Of
pair of WOODEN shoes which she
wore. Her stocking, underwear, a
black waist and a heavy wooden un-
derskirt which she wore were burnt
from her body before assistance ar.
rived.
Did Lamp Explode?
Just how the accident, which will
probably result fatally, occurred, is
not known. Mrs. Fred Tucker who
lives in the other half of the doubts
brick house in which Mrs. Furtney
and her son Harry make their resi-
dence, was the first one to discover
that the aged lady was afire. Mrs
Tucker who was In her home at the
time, heard what she thought was
something fall and hearing Mrs. Furt
ney call. ran to the back door of the
house and looked through the glass
seeing her afire, her body being en-
tirely wrapped in flames and Mrs
Tucker being unable to see her face
from them The door was locked ant
it was impossible to get in. She a
once called loudly for assistance, Mrs
lFurtney trying to reach the door ant
unlock 1t to let Mrs Tucker in bu
was unable to turn the lock.
Broke in the Door.
Harry Furtney, sleeps In room Il
the upper story of the residence an
being sound sleeper, did not hea
his mothers calls for assistance, Mr.:
Furtney not being possessed of
strong voice. Mrs. Tucker who wa
frantic in her efforts to reach he
neighbor to put out the fire which wa
burning her clothes from her bod.
called to neighbor, Ted Merit VIII
was on, the rear porch of his residenc
at the time. Mr.. Merritt rushed owe
and broke open the door, throwing hi
weight against it.
A number of bed covers were pulle