PERILS OF THE TOILET

Evening Star, Issue 14225, 26 November 1909, Page 8

PERILS OF THE TOILET

After, a week’s experience in London an Australian who had fought in the South African War declared that to a stranger unused to life in big towns there was more danger in sight-seeing in the metropolis than on the field of battle. He had been in. everal big fights in South Africa, and scores of what he called " long-range flirtations ” wnt the Boers, without so much as getting chipped.” During his first week in London ho was knocked down by a cab, and badly ! bruised, got a crack on the head with a j scaffold pole whilst he was passing a build- J ing job, and wound up with a sprained ankle j caused by slipping off the kerbstone, an act in which he was superbly supported by a fragment of banana skin. , But the perils of civilisation are nob limited to the streets. They lurk everywhere, even in the toilet saloons which abound in London. Only a few weeks ago a lady met her death in the hairdressing department of that vast West End emporium known as Harrod’s Stores. She was having her hair washed with a preparation in which tetra-chloride ; figured, and the fumes given off during the process told fatally on a weak heart. Now a truly hideous thing has happened in a ladies’ toilet saloon in Groat Windmill street, Piccadilly. On the evening of Monday, October 11, just after half-past eight o’clock, piercing shrieks were heard in Leon’s hairdressing establishment. Policemen hurried to the scene, but before they could enter the premises a woman, all ablaze, rushed out of the door, and, screaming wildly, flew across the street almost into the stage door of the Lyric Theatre. There she was seized and quickly smothered in coats which passers-by hurriedly tore off their shoulders. Meanwhile another woman, also in flar.**,?, ran out of the same doorway, and was followed on the instant by another in like plight. Both were shrieking with agony. In a moment they were surrounded by policemen, firemen, and civilians, all doing their best to smother the flames with coats, mantles, or anything that came handy. In this frenzied medley of human beings it was impossible to tell what was really happening, but presently cabs were summoned, and, smothered in ail soris of garments, the hapless women were hurried off to Charing Gross Hosiptal. ■ The victims of this blood-curdling episode were the wife and daughter of the proprietor of the saloon. Madame aud Mdlle Leon, and ' a young lady named Lily Hqchkirk. All j three were shockingly burnt, and soon after i her removal to the hospital Miss Hochkirk j succumbed. Later Mddle Leon died, and I her mother is not expected to live. How the tragedy really came about no one knows for certain. So far as can be ascertained. Miss Hochkirk was having her hair I dressed, when a spirit lamn used in connectinri with the operation exploded, setting

fire to her hair and garments, and in the' attempt to, smother ttye flames Madame Leon ■and'her daughter became involved.—London correspondent. . ‘