Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1877 — Beware of the Fatah Benzine. [ARTICLE]

Beware of the Fatah Benzine.

Early .yesterday morning; asingular accident occurred at the residence of Mir. Charles B, Sbotemaker, No, 1604 Swain, street. Mr. Shoemaker was preparing to leave-the city for the summer with his family,, and to protect hia carpets aud upholstered furniture from moths, he • sprinkled benzine over it. Then he want up. stairs, and while there the gas generated by the benzine exploded. Mrs. Shoemaker and Miss Hall, who were in. the roqm at the time, were badly burned. They,jumped out of the back window, Miss Hall going to' the yard, in the rear, and Mrs. Shoemaker to a neighbor’s house opposite. Every stitch of Miss Hall’s clothing was burned and her flesh scorched to a crisp, and at half-past.twelve o'clock she died from the effects of her injuries. Mrs. Shoemaker’s burning clothing was smothered by Mr. David Hoffer, but she was badly burned. During last night ber agony was intense,, and ah one o’clochthis' morning she diedAn examination of the parlor, after: thefire had been extinguished showed something of the three of the explosion and the intense heat of.the flames. The window shutters were biown open, glass smashed into atoms, walla-cracked and the register -knocked to pieces. The heat was so .great that a small, bronze, figure was actually melted, by it. There seems no doubt that the aacident was caused! by. the explosion of tire gas arising from the benzine. There was notire in the parlor, nor any, in the diningroom immediately back;, but in the kitchen,, which counsels with the diningroom, as the latter dees with the parlor, there was a fire in the range. It is the theory of. some that the gas in the parlor found its way to the kitchen and was ignited l^iere. Mis 4 Hall iwas-to hare been, married im a few weeks. She was to have left the situation,on Saturday to prepare- for the: wedding, but! concluded to remain with Mr. Shoemaker and; family until, ;they should leave for the country.—Philadelphia- TUegrapJu