Gainesville Daily Register    February 2, 1917

 

INFANT DIES FROM EFFECTS OF HOT WIRE AROUND NECK

 

      Undertaker S.W. Gibson reports a most shocking death which took place Thursday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ab Crabtree, a few miles east of  this city, when their six-months-old baby girl, Hannah, died from the effects of a red hot wire which had been placed around its neck in the yard by some small children who were engaged in playful pranks at the time.

 

It seems that a long wire clothes line had fallen into a bed of  live coals, where the family washing had been recently done, and the children got hold of one end of the wire some distance from the hot portion and in throwing the wire about in their play, it looped around the neck of the babe at the point where it was the hottest and before the child could be rescued from its horrible situation, it had received fatal burns, death resulting soon afterwards.

 

The funeral services were held this afternoon from the family home, Rev. R.H. Autrey officiating.  Interment in Spring Grove cemetery.  S.W. Gibson had charge of the funeral.