MRS. NELLIE BURTON DIES AFTER
KEROSENE CAN BURSTS
_______

Eight Children From Two to 17 Sur-
vive-Family Asserts Gasoline
in the OIL
_____

Mrs. Nellie Burton, 44 year old
wife of Girt Burton, died at the fam-
ily home in the west part of Bethany
at 1:15 o-clock Monday afternoon after
having been the victim of a kerosene
can explosion there at 6:00 o-clock Fri-
day morning.

Mrs. Burton's condition extremely
perilous from the beginning. was made
more so Monday morning after the
birth of a stillborn child, which was
buried that afternoon at Oakland Cem-
etary, northwest of Bethany.

The accident happened as Mrs. Bur-
ton was kindling a fire in the kitchen
range upon which to cook breakfast
for the family. She was alone in the
room, and immediately afterward
rushed into the room where her hus-
band was, all her clothing afire. He
tore all the burning shreds from her
body and even then the fire was not
extinguished until after he had
wrapped her in a quilt. The front of
her body was badly burned as were
parts of her back and hips, and her
face was severely burned. As the ex-
plosion came the kerosene can split
open at the bottom, the burning liq-
uid showering itself upon her. She
was knocked to her knees and was
bruised by the can striking her in the
abdomen. Her husbands hands were
severely burned by his tearing the
clothing from Mrs. Burton. In partic-
ular the right one.

Mrs. Burton told persons who wait-
ed upon her soon after the explosion
that she had touched a match once to
the wood and the kindling in the stove.
but it did not burn well. It was then
she poured kerosene from the can into
the stove and the explosion resulted
suddenly. There was hardly more than
a pint of liquid in the can.

Members of the family assert that
gasoline was mixed with the kero-
sene. and that it was this which
caused the flame from the stove to
leap from it into the two gallon can.
They point out it was the explosion
from the can itself, and not from the
stove, which caused Mrs. Burton's
clothing to catch fire. In support of
this contention, they showed some
liquid in a fruit jar that had been
taken from a kerosene lamp that had
been filled from the same can which
Mrs. Burton was using in kindling the
fire. It seemed to smell strongly of
gasoline. It is belief of the Burton
family that it was gasolene which
caused Mrs. Burton's body to burn,
flames actually coming from it. after
her clothing had been torn away.

In the beginning it appeared she
had a chance to recover, for she
seemed strong. Part of the time she
was delirious, and at other times she
talked rationally in telling of the accident.

Mrs Burton is survived by eight
children at home, with two daughters
that are married, besides her husband,
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs Marion
Harris of near Bethany also survive.
The children are Mrs. Roscoe Decker
of Bethany. Mrs Reece Blessing of
Bethany. and the ones at home; Clar-
ence, 17; Madeline, 15; Viola 13; Josie,
11; Stella, 9; Clifford, 4; and Opal, 2.

Funeral services for Mrs. Burton
were held yesterday afternoon at Oak-
land church northwest of Bethany.
where a crowd so large was in attend-
ance that not nearly all of them could
gain admittance in the building. The
sermon was preached by the Rev. W.
O. Dotson, and burial was at Oak-
land cemetary. Pallbearers were Ray
Smith. Will Kreder. J.W. Lindsey.
William Burton. Harve Vandiver and
Arthur King.