The evening world., 1910-12-20
Daughter of Magistrate
O'Connor Was Preparing
Surprise for Her Mother.
MATCH IGNITED COTTON
Father Returned from Buying
Christmas Gifts to Find
Favorite Dying.

Maglstrate.k cyran J. oConnor started
for his summer home AZ stevensytIl..
y. Y, at three O'Clock this morning TO
bring his wife back TO New York,
when Mrs. O'Connor will be told
that her daughter. Ethel. eight years
old. is dead at their home, No. 3is East
One Hundred and Sixteenth street, from
burns she received when arranging a
Christmas surprise for her mother.
The death OF Ethel. the Magistrates
favorite child. was a crushing blow to
him. n he fears the effect It will have
on his wife. who went to sullivan Coun-
" to arrange for a big Christmas for
tie children.
When Magistrate O'Connor was sit
ting in Yorkville Court yesterday the
motornan arrested for the disaster at
Grand Central Central station was ar
rslgned before him and promptly dis.
charged. IKE Magistrate then remarked
on the sad Christmas the families OF
the victims OF the explosion would have.
He was greatly affected and when his
court duties were completed he re-
marked that he was ready to Join n
movement to aid the families OF the
dead and injured.
Told Of Fatal Accident.
A big Christmas celebration was ex-
uected at the O'Connor summer home,
The Magistrate had planned to take his
nve children. Irene. is; Harold. 10: Mil
dred. II; little Ethel. and Josephine. q.
to their mothers When tie reached
home at seven last night. his arms filled
with Christmas presents for wife and
children. n servant met him at the doo,.
ETHEL Is at the S~uydenham Hospi-
tai across the street. began the SER
want. she has ..een horribly burneJ.
Tho other children are there. to-
Magistrate O'Connor dropped his
Christmas offerings and staggered
across to the hospital. The four oth.r
children were In the office crying. Mag
istrate O'Connor went to Ethei's cot at
once. She was fully conscious. bu, in
great suffering. Her hair a been
burned off and she. was scorched from
head TO feet, but she knew her father.
As he approached her she said feebly:
DhuuSs
Until II o'clock the father held the
child's bandaged hand. Then the doc-
tors and nurses came to him and led
him gently away. She was dead.
Feared Shock to Wife.
As Magistrate O'Connor was starting
for the train to bring his wife back he
saw crepe ca the door. lie turned TO
the undertaken and said:
Please take that off. She mustn't
know until she gets home. She'll never
reach home alive II sne does"
Ethel and her little sister, Josephine.
spent all OF yesterday making a Santa
Claus robe which was to be a surprise
to their mother, In the evening Ethel
tried 1t on and Josephine was fitting
her. but was unable to see. Ethel
lighted a match and was holding IL
above her head when the match dropned
into the cotton lining. Instantly she
was ablaze. The cries OF the two chill
dren were heard by CITY Marshal Laza-
rus. who was passing on the street.
Lazarus found the child on the top floor
OF the house. All her clothing had been
burned off and her hair was flaming.
The city Marshal rolled Ethel in a
blanket and then hurried witt her to
the hospital.
Efforts were made to locate Magistrate
O'Connor. but he had lect the court and
was buying pretty things for his chill
dren's Christmas.