A TERRIBLE STREET SCENE IN BIRMINGHAM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9069, 29 April 1891, Page 3

A TERRIBLE STREET SCENE IN BIRMINGHAM.

On Saturday morning (March 7) a woman is reported to have been burned to death in Rea-street, Birmingham, in sight of a crowd of people. Her name was Catherine Gallagher, and the crowd was collected, in the first instance, by a woman quarrelling with her husband 1 , Harry Spears, who was drunk. Mrs Gallagher interfered, and Spears threw a lighted lamp at her. Strik ing her on the back, it was shivered into fragments, and she had not taken two steps into the court when she was on fire from head to foot. The flames lighted up the court, and showed it full of onlookers, but these, with fright •written on their faces, shrank away from her, and for a moment she stood shrieking and helpless in the centre of a wide circle of them. Then a woman named Russell ran forward and threw her down, and rolled her along the pavement ; but this measure, prompt, courageous, and well-intentioned enough, was unavailing, and the woman, scared in her turn, stood off, wringing her hands and railing at the crowd. "Is there never a man among you ?" she cried ; " she's burning to death." The poor old creature had risen to her knees. She was battling with the flames, jivhich enveloped .now her head and face, and was swaying miserably from" side to side. By another effort she got upon her feet and staggered towards her own house, but as sbe reached the door she turned about and stood almost naked, for the wind had blown away the charred fragments of her clothing ; and the people saw her clasp her hands, ana saw the fear of sudden death in her uplifted face, as she cried incessantly, " Lord, have mercy on me !" Someone came at last with a blanket and covered the frail, blackened form ; but it was too late. She was borne to the Queen's Hospital, and her sufferings ended shortly afterwards. Spears absconded.