GRAVES, T. Smith

Source: Greencastle Star Press 24 March 1894 p 1

Mrs. Smith Graves, a former resident of this city died on Friday of last week at Indianapolis. The Journal of that city says: “Mrs. T. Smith Graves died at 4 o’clock yesterday morning from the effects of the burns she received from the igniting of gasoline. From the time of the accident until death relieved her she suffered great pain. It develops that she sacrificed her life for that of a boy, a relative of the family. The boy was in the room when the gasoline ignited and the flames were rapidly surrounding him when Mrs. Graves sprang to where he was, rushing through the flames and carrying him through the fire to a place of safety. In going through the flames Mrs. Grave’s clothing was ignited and she received the burns which resulted in her death.

Note the Indianapolis Journal 15 March 1894 p 8 – adds “Mrs. Graves was raised in this city and was widely known here. She had been a member of the Central Avenue Church choir for years. She was the daughter of Michael Sells who is now absent in California and wife of Mr. T. Smith Graves of M. Sells & Co. The funeral services will be held as soon as the relatives who are absent return.

Note 2 – The day before at the 8^th annual meeting of the McAll Mission at the Central Christian Church, Mrs. Smith Graves sang a solo.

Source: Indianapolis Journal 18 March 1894 (Sunday) p 3

The funeral of Mrs. T. Smith Graves was held yesterday afternoon at her home, No 321 North New Jersey Street.

Source: Indianapolis News Tuesday 13 March 1894 p 6

Mrs. TS Graves of No. 317 North New Jersey Street was badly burned by a gasoline explosion this afternoon. The family was house cleaning and was using gasoline. Mrs. Graves and her mother, Mrs. Michael Sells do not know how the can of gasoline came to explode as they say all the fires in the house had been turned out as a precaution. After the explosion Mrs. Graves ran from the house with her clothes ablaze. She met a driver for Albert Gall who was bringing a carpet to the house. He wrapped the carpet around her and succeeded in smothering the flames. Mrs. Sells who had also come to her rescue was burned about the hands. The fire department extinguished the fire in the house the loss on which was small. Although Mrs. Graves did not inhale any of the flames, the physicians say she is dangerously burned. She is the wife of T. Smith Graves of the Indianapolis Driving Club. About ¾ of Mrs. Grave’s body was burned though not deeply. Her head, however, was fully protected by the carpet. Her condition is alarming.