The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-27
DRENCHEO WITH BLAZING
OIL AS LAMP ExPL0DES,
MRS. CU|NTY PERISHES
Son Carries Dying Mother
From Flaming Room
Of Home.

Mrs. Marcella Guinty. resident
Of Rock Island. aged 90 years. was
burned to death at her home. 2606
Fifth avenue. Sunday afternoon
about s o'clock when q kerosene
lamp was upset or exploded, hurl-
ing burning oil over her clothing
and body. In agony the stricken
victim Of the tragedy dled shortly
after, the flames soaring deep into
the flesh before assistance could
be rendered the. helpless woman.
John Guinty, son with whom
Mrs. Guinty lived, who had gone
to the shed to get kindltng, had
been absent for about 20 minutes
and knew nothing Of the tragedy
until neighb0rs called him. His
mother died before he reached her
side, the fsarfulness of her burns
being fatal before the ambulance
reached the scene of the fire.
Died Almost Instantly.
Mrs. E. Lundberg. 1903 Third
street, Moline. returning from
downtown, first saw the flames
through the dining room window
after she had smelled smoke and
sought the cause. She called hsr
mother, Mrs. Flora Keener, who
lived in the rooms above those Of
Mrs. Guinty.
Ed Lehan, 251O Fifth avenues .
neighbor. happened along about the
same time and called the son from
the shed. Together they braved the
flames and carried the aged woman
from the blazing rooms, but her In
juries were 10 great that death
took the sufferer from her agony
perhaps even before her son had
risked himself to save his mother.
The ambulance and fire wagons
were called Immediately and Dr.
Joseph De Silva was summoned bis
death came before aid could reacn
Mrs. Guinty.
Was Alone In Room.
Mrs. Guinty was alone IN the
room at the time Of the accident.
Her son John had gone to get
kindling from the shed about 4
/; o'clock, and was busy at work.
How the accident happened was
not brought out at the coroner's
| inquest, which was held this morn
ing at the Wheelan funeral
home. The supposition 10 that
the kerosene lamp exploded. al
though the possibility of it having
been upset is also advanced. That
the oil drenched the woman's gar
ments is almost positively estab-
lished by the extent of the horrible
burns which were suffered by Mrs.
Guinty. When aid reached her. her
clothes were practically burned
from her body and the fesh was
crisped by the flames.
Mrs. Lundberg. who discovered
the fire, had been downtown and
! was coming to visit with her moth-
er, Mrs. Keener, 2506h Fifth ave-
nue., when she smelie,. sf.cxo. tEr
vestigating, she saw through the
window the flames creeping up tho
walls Of the room. and fed to
her mothers rooms to hurry her
from the burning structure and
call the fire department.
Nelghbor Calls Son.
Almost at the same time Lehan,
, q ncighbor, also saw the blaze and
hurried to help. Unable to gain
entrance, and hearing the son in ths
shed, John was called. Together
| tney tried to force entrance through
the rear door, but could not, and
dashed around the house to the
front door and forced the lock.
The entire room was in flames.
The aged mother. lying on the
floor, was surrounded by the lick.
ing darts Of fire, her clothing neGr.
lly completely burned from her
body. Together they picked tho
woman from the flames and car
ried her from the house. but her
immortal reward had already car
ried her from her earthly suffering.
Long Resident Here.
Mrs. Guinty was a resident OF
Rock Island for q number of years
following ker arrival here in 1854,
but later moved to Henry county,
where she lived until 1898, when
she returned to this city with her
husband, who died the following
year.
Deceased was born in Ireland In
1877 and came to America at the
| ago Of Is years, coming to Rock
Island in 1854 from Chicago. She
was married to Daniel Guinty
at LaSalle, Among the interesting
events Of Mrs. Guinty's. life 70
the story Of her overland journey
from Chicago to Rock Island IN one
lot the olden prairie schoonerS,"
and her journey from Chicago to
Lasalle on the irst passenger train
running west from the metropolis.
Surviving besides the SON John
iat home are two sons. James Of
Moline and Daniel Of Seattle. and
four daushters:. Mrs. Ellen Calls
Ian Of this city, Mrs. Josephines
McHugh Of Iowa, Mrs Margaret
Foley of Seattle and Miss Naude
Of Chicago. Funeral arrangements
have not been made.
The damage to the property was.
slight. One sideboard was d.
stroyed and The rugs scorched, ~
the Are vAs Y1t Q1t Mish H113D -
tto the h1tloinG a. farlj