Serious and Perhaps Fatal Accident

Last Saturday evening, a girl named Mary Kelly; about 15 years of age, living in the family of Mr. George L. Carmen, met with an accident which is more than likely to cost her her life. She was making a fire in the kitchen stove, and finding it slow to burn, she got the fluid can and poured a part of the contents on the fire. The can contained a mixture of kerosene and burning fluid, the latter put in by mistake. As soon as the fluid touched the fire the flames shot up and set fire to the liquid in the can tearing it to pieces. The girl’s clothes caught fire and were burnt off her while her body and limbs were badly burned. Dr. Adler was at once called in and dressed the wounds, but little hope, however, was entertained of her recovery yesterday afternoon. – Davenport Gazette

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April, 12, 1862