The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-06
TRAGIC DEATH Of
MRS KEEN
HER BODY REDUCED 20 HAND.
Full Of oHARRED BONES By
FEAIEES or d q E.KTNG HONE


saturday night the home of Mr. 4.
I Keen. north of WINSTON. caught
IRE and Mrs Keen was burned to-
death. only her bones being left to
bear silent testimony to the agony
she underwent
About III o'clock Saturday night
while mr. Keen was away from home.
being at Bradley Junction, Mrs Keen
and the children were awakened by
the fre, and they hurrledly left the
house. after MRS. Keen cot All the
smaller children out she rushed back
into the house with one of her other
boys to save some Of the furniture
The flames became % fierce that the
son begged his mother to jump
from the second story porch This she
was afraid % do, and her son took
the leap re cried to Der 10 follow,
but the walls fell Oh her and she went
down to her death
Mr. Neil Keen, who lives III the
vicinity, rushed to the scene ana
asked the children where their moth
er was. They told him she was ii
the house he frantlcally tried to
make his way II. but was kept back
BY the mass of flames, which deaed
all entrance. When the fire died
down. the charrea bones Of Mrs.
Keen's body wers found in the
debris.
It Is not known how the house
caught Are, but It is thought from
the kitchen nue, as nre had been
left burning III the kitchen stove
when the family retired Tor the.
night
At the time Tie house burned there
were over 500 loaded cartridges in
the house. and soon after the ne
started these began to explode Mi.
Nell Keen who lives onlv about
quarter d mile from TIE scens 81
hA conAas llon, was awakenea by
he sound Of shots, and Jumped up to
ind the whole prairie lighted ID, by
the burning house. he states that
the cartridges exploding reminded I
one Of war. and that b was fearful
that when he reached The house he
would find the whole family killed.
Above the sound Of the bullets and
the crackle Of the flames, rose the
cries and walls Of the heartbroken
children. who had witnessed their
mothers tragic end, and knew that
the flames had taken her as their
tcI.
It appears that Mrs. Keen and an
cider son had succeeded In throwing
out two beds, couple Of sheets, q
trunk and shotgun, when the
flames began to lick through the
walls They rushed to the second
story veranda and the son begged
lis mother 70 jump on u TIE feather
bed she had thrown out Paralyzed
with fear, aha refused thinking prob
ably chat she could effect an escape
ey The stairway The boy leaped,
and aa he looked back up. he saw ths
wallis lsli snd hIs mother enysiopsd
n the dame
= as several hours before hy-
ISLANDERS could get near the burning
dehrla 10 search for Mrs. Keens ..
mains owins 10 tue fact shat the
HOUSE he'd sheet iron roof. which
held re beat When they we're able
g lit tas roof. only 4 few eharfsa
bones were found. at ~ which
would easily have gone into q mans
hat.
With their mother dead. their
home in ashes. sud their father far
away. tho eight children. Ia their
night clothes went Is the neishbors
for TIE rest 81 TIE night IT was, in-
deed. 5 horrible experience TOR them.
'rne eldest con Il about g years old
and besides the other children there
afe two paifs Of twins. the eldest
being Z years and tbs youngest 4
years Before her marriage Mrs.
Assn vas M@ Mary flushing. the
eaashter of - J. ". Rushing.
Mrs Keen leaves devoted hus-
Dand ana sight childrsn u mourn her
loaa The children range between 4
ana Is years Of age
lhe family Icss all Of their effects,
oe'n9 leks Win only their night cloth
ins for raimant
keen ss AZ once notified Of
.ne greet misfortune which had BE-
la''en hin ana be Immediately re-