Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1914 — CANDLE FIRES COAT; SANTA CLAUS BURNED [ARTICLE]

CANDLE FIRES COAT; SANTA CLAUS BURNED

Boy in Sheridan School Seriously Injured and Children Thrown Into a Panic. • v Sheridan, Ind., Dec. 23.—William Wilson, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Wilson, was burned seriously during a Christmas celebration in school here this afternoon when tie Santa CJan c suit he wore was ignited by a candle. The boy’s mother, who was attending the exercises, and the teacher, Miss Fern Branson, succeeded in smothering the flames, but not until the boy had been burned’ seriously about the face and hands. Wilson was dressed as Santa Claus and was giving out presents from the Christmas tree when the cotton on his coat came in contact with one of the lighted candles on the tree. When he was enveloped in flames the children in the room were thrown into a panic. <Mrs. Wilson, Miss Branson and Prof. Ellis quieted the pupils before any were injured. The Wilson boy’s father is president of the Indiana Condensed Milk Company