Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-01
MISS BERTA CROSSLEY FATALITY
BURNED BY ALCOHOL EXPLOSION
AT RESIDENCE OF MRS. LAa|HR
Miss Jessie Blaine, Her Room Mate
in Serious Condition Both Tea
chers in City Public Schools.
TRY TO HEAT BOTTLE OVER LAMP

AS result OF an attempt to heat
q bottle of alcohol over the fame OF
q kerosene lamp in the boarding
house of Mrs. Emily P. Lanfer, at 33
Water street, at 1880 o'clock last
night, Miss Berta Crossley, of New
port, KY, a teacher in public school
No. 4, was fatally burned, and
Miss Jessie Blaine, kindergarten
teacher in public school No.
1, who came from Auburn. r. J.,
was SO badly burned about the
lower limbs and left arm that
physicians say she will not be
able to resume her duties for two or
three months.
Burning alcohol ignited the cloth
ing of both girls following the ex-
plosion. They screamed for help
bat before aid arrived Miss Crossley
was burned from head to foot when
she ran from one room to another.
She had attempted prior to the ex-
plosion to treat Miss Blaine, who
had complained OF being fatigued.
Miss Crossley thought 1t would be a
good idea to warm some alcohol to
bt The Miss BlAine's back before they
retired ard It was in the attempt to
heat about pint of the liquid over
lamp that she was converted into 3
human torch. She ran to her room
and in attempting to smother the
flames Miss Blaine's clothes became
ignited. She had sufficient presence
of mind to roll on the floor and wrap
herself up In rug.
Miss Mary Littell heard the
= l<6 rgx1n nd tn
room. The first one she met was
Miss Blaine and she directed her at
tentions to save her. In the mean
while Miss Crosslsy was 80 badly
burned as to make her injuries fatal.
She was burned from head to foot
and when physicians were called
they declared there was no hope for
her recovery and administered drugs
to alleviate her Intense suffering
Dr. j. 81. Wilson and Dr. G w.
FIthian are the attending physicians.
They We're summoned immediately
after the accident and did everything
possible to give as much comfort as
possible to the suffering victims.
At 8 o'clock this afternoon Miss
Crossley was still alive, but the
attending physicians said that there
was not the slightest chance of her
recovery.
Physicians Tell Of Horror.
The physicians today declared the
accident as being one Of the most
horrible OF Its kind they had ever
been called to. They say there Is
hardly square inch on Miss Cross
,iey's body untouched by fire. Her
hair was burned off and she present.
ed frightful appearances Her
father and four Of her brothers We're
summoned from New York this
morning andsare now at the Lanier
house. Mr.. Crossley had come 60
New york this week from his home
In Kentucky on a business trip He
there met his four sons. who are
employed Ia the metropolis, and had
expressed a wish to come and visit
his. daughter In this city. It is pre-
ss1ned he would have been here the
latter part OF this week. His feei-
1ngs when he was summoned hur-
riedly to find his daughter dying are
almost beyond description.
Father PitifuI Sight.
When reporter called at he
I,anier house today, the aged man
sat with his head buried In his arms.
There was general qufetude about
the house and all references to the
accident were made in the lowest
tones or in whispers. Miss Blaine's
relatives at Auburn, r. l.. were noti-
fed this morning and at the Lanier
homs it was stated her father was
on the way to thfs city to ps at the
bedside of his daughter.
The victims. Mics Crossley, who Is
twenty eight years old, and Miss
Blaine. who is about twenty-five
years old, were two of three public
school teachers who boarded at the
T4anier house Miss Mary Morris
being the other one. Miss Blaine
has been in this city about a year
and three months and Miss Cressiey
about two years and three months.
Accident Shortly After supper.
The fatal explosion Of the alcohol
bottle came few minutes after the
Young ladies had left the supper
table. Miss Blaine complained to
@Igs Crossiey Of being tired and
haying an aching back. AS they
went TO their room on the second
floor in the front part OF the house
Miss Crossiey suggested that she
hafhe with alcohol Miss Blaine
ree I on bed In her room while
Mi Crossley procured bottle OF
alcohol. Aa she was carrying Il
through the hallway she saw a kero-
sene lamp on a table in room adj
Joining the one in which Miss Blaine
was In ana the idea entered her head
10 heat s.ss alcohol oFsg tie lamp |
and she Iaughingly cried u have O
stunt. . She had previously thought
of pouring the liquid into dish or
pan to heat it.