Burned To Death

Mrs. Minnie R. Crawford, wife f Arthur Crawford, on Fuller street, was burned to death last Saturday. She was lighting the fire about seven 'clock, pouring what she supposed was kerosene on the wood before ighting it, but really pouring gasoine upon the wood. The gasoline exploded, herclothes ignited and she was severely burned over every part of her body, death ensuing Saturday night. She was about thirty-one years of age and had lived in Ann Arbor nearly all her life. The circumstances are detailed in the testimony at the inquest held by Cor oner Clurk with the following jury: Edward Duffy, Moses Seabolt, Geo W. Cropsey, Joseph Donnelly, Johr Baumgardner and Jerome A. tree man. The testimony was as follows Arthur A. Crawford, the husband testified that he was lying on the bed Saturday morning with his lit tle girl, while his wife was kindling a fire in the kitchen with pine board and hard wood. She poured some of the contents of a can on the wood took a match and lit it, causing an explosión. The contents of the can exploded the next moment. He heard her scream and before he could get up she ran and jumped at him. Her clothes were all afire He put a quilt around her which almost extinguished the flames. She ran out of doors, while he startec for the child. He continued: "] have never brought any gasoline in ray house. I was sitting outside my house Friday afternoon with Mr. Ferguson. My wife says to me 'Art, I want some kerosene.' I asked her how much she wanted. She wanted five cents' worth. Mr. Peters was coming with his kerosene and gasoline wagon. I told my boy, eight years old, to get the kerosene can and go out to the wagon and get some kerosene. I said 'How do you do Mr. Peters? Give this boy some kerosene.' The wagon was some thirty-five feet from where I was, I think. Mr. Peters could ïave heard me. My boy said nothng when the can was filled. I never bought gásoline of Mr. Peters or Mr. Goodale." Dr. Sudworth testified to Mrs. Crawford's death being caused by he burns. He thought the burns were caused by a gasoline explosión. John J. Ferguson testified to béng at Mr. Crawford's house just fter dinner Friday and to sitting on the side of the house with him. ie did not hear him give any order or kerosene oil nor see any keroene or gasoline oil wagon on the treet. George E. Peters, the driver of :he kerosene and gasoline wagon or M. Goodale, testified that he was on Fuller street near Crawford's ïouse. Two little boys and a little ;irl came to the wagon with cans. he little boy about eight years of ge told me he wanted five cents worth of gasoline. I gave it to him. f Mr. Crawford called to me I did ot hear him. I never sold Mr. Trawford any gasoline before but ïad sold him kerosene. I often sell mail quantities of gasoline for leaning clothes. Don Crawford, aged eight, testied as follows: "I remember going ut to the kerosene and gasoline wagon last Friday. I had five cents. bought some oil as my mother told me to. I thought it was kerosene. Vly mother told me to get the oil. "ather gave me the money and told me to get some oil. He was sittine by Mr. Ferguson. Father called to the oil man when I was with him. The oil man stopped and I went clown to get the oil." The jury brought in a verdict "that Mrs. Minnie R. Crawford came to her death at 58 Fuller street in the city of Ann Arbor on the sixth day of August, 1893. Her death was caused by the explosión of gasoline, while lighting a fire, igniting her clothes and causing her death.