Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1915 — SAD DEATH OF LITTLE GIRL. [ARTICLE]

SAD DEATH OF LITTLE GIRL.

Little Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Firman Thompson Fatally Burned. T Jeanette, the little 5-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Firman Thompson was fatally burned about 11:30 o’clock Saturday forenoon, near the Thompson home on north Weston street. The child, with her sister Dorothy, 13 months older, was to have a Hallowe’en party Saturday evening, and was much enthused over the fun in prospect. She had donned an old skirt of her mother’s and was playing in the yard and out in front of the Amsler home, next door north, where, having got hold of some matches, she set fire to a pile of leaves, which quickly communicated to her clothing, and she was almost immediately a mass of flames. Frances Schmidt, the domestic at the Thompson home, was in an upstairs room and saw the child. Calling to the mother she ran down the stairs and out to where the child was, Mrs. Thompson with her, and they wrapped her in a small rug which had been hurriedly picked up. The flames were soon extinguished, not, however, until the clothing had been almost entirely burned from her body and from the face down she was terribly burned. Aid was hurriedly summoned and four doctors did all that was possible for the child, but had little hope of saving her life. She was taken to. a hospital in Chicago Saturday afternoon, but died there at noon Sunday, being conscious to the last and suffering little or no pain, the shock having dulled her sensibility of pain so that she did not suffer. The body was brought to Rensselaer Monday on the two o’clock train and the funeral, conducted by Rev. J. c. Parrett, of Hammond, was held from the residence at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Burial in Weston cemetery. Zern Wright went to Chicago and accompanied the remains to Rensselaer in the private car of President Kurrie of the Monon, whose wife is an aunt of the child. This terrible accident cast such a gloom over Rensselaer as it has not experienced since the drowning of the little Woodworth boy last July, and the parents have the deepest sympathy of the community in their sorrow.