Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-12-13
Woman pours Oil on Cloth
ing, Sets it Ablaze and
Sings Song
HE HAD sPURNED HER
While . Human Torch. She Attempts
to Hug Man as Flames Eat Her
Flesh. But He Flees.

Philadelphia, Dec. 19.-Spurned by
n. man she loved and eager to sac
r;f;ce her life to prove her affection
far him. Reba Smith, 90 years old, Oh
IN 1905 Naudain street, last night
noured a large quantity OF kerosene
over her head and body, applied a
match, began chanting a love song
and rushed into the room in her home
where her lover sat, living torch'
Continuing her song and apparently
unaffected by the flames which envel-
oped her entire body, the girl made
m effort. to embrace the man with
whom she had quarreled only NOM
emf before. He, however, terrified by
the scene, ran screaming from the
house and into the home Of neigh
bor. where he gasped what had oc-
CURED and then fell fainting to the
HOor.
The song of the woman soon became
shriek and she attempted to run
from the house in an attempt to fol-
low her lover. BY this time, however.
the flames had consumed her clothing
and had inflicted terrible burns on her
entire body. In the doorway OF the
& NaudainA street house she swayed
from side to side and, while score OF
persons stood painc-stricsen on the
pavement, dropped in smoldering
ap-to the doorstep.
1t was into the home Of John Brown
No 1908 Naudain street, that the low
cr. who is Willis Cannon, 81 years
old. of No. 1916 Lombard street, i'ed
when he beheld his crazed sweetheart
in flames. and Brown and Charles
Waters, of No. 710 South Fifteenth
street who was passing by, finally
ran to the side of the dying woman
and succeeded in beating out Wha'
was left OF the smoldering flames.
They then carried her to the Poly
clinic Hospitals WHICH is, less than %
feet distant, but there the physicians
declared: the woman was beyond all
medical aid. She died while they tore
the charrcd garments from her tor
tnred body.
District Detective Shelter, OF the
Ninetcenth district, arrested Cannon
ss soon as he was revived: In u dazed
condition he was led to the station
hpase; @heyes9in ipeeherent sentences
he5to!d his story.i (; =:
$calnon;;. DECLARED he and theHsmlth
wefaa,. had been sweSthearts and that
several months ago he was called from:
the city. He did not have time to bid
her cood-by, he declared, and while
away neglected to write to her. Yes
tertlay hc.sreturned' and went to the
Naudain street house, intending to
claim her rs his bride.
The woman met him with the ac-
cusation that he had been unfalthtu.
and was betrothcd to another ne told
Detective Shelter. This he denied, he
said, and. .angered by the false charg-
es, he claimed he told the jealous wo-
man he would leave the house and
never return.
"If you do, l will sacrifice my life
by burning myself to death, to sho"
love you," the woman said, accord
ing to Cannon.
"1 thought she was fooling and toic
her to go ahead" the man continued
Cannon said he walked from ths
room and was almost paralyzed an IN
slant later when she rushed into ths
room, where he sat smoking, burning
from head to foot.
81 heard her sing 4 moment before
she. ran into the room, and she wa:
singing when she ran toward me.
thought &sNsa#as a ghost" Canno,
said.
Although the. police believe Cannon
story, he was arrested as materi:
witness and win be detained pendin
an investigation. :.
..a----..-f,- .a----..-,- -f,-A------, -
,4,,ss rs .t.E. 81.