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St. Croix Courier, May 10, 1877Terrible Accident—A Man Roasted Alive
George Stewart, a colored man who resides a short distance out of the Town of St. Andrews, while in a fit on Saturday last, fell off the chair on which he was seated headlong into the fire. There was no one in the house at the time besides Stewart except a girl of some six years, a niece of his. She ran out and called her brothers and sisters, who were at play in a field a short way off. They came in and with their united strength (they were all children) were unable to drag him from the fire, on which he lay roasting. One of the children ran for help, and had to go about half a mile to the shore where some men were at work. When they entered the house they found Stewart lying on the fire, head close to the back of the chimney and clothes burning. They speedily removed him and tore the burning shirt off him. Young Dougherty went at once into town for medical aid.
Dr. Samuel T. Gove, and Dr. Harry Gove promptly repaired to the sense of the accident, and administered what remedies were necessary at the moment. The house in which Stewart lived in was a mere hovel, presenting a scene of squalid misery, and was not a proper place in which to take care of the man. The Doctor ordered his removal to the Poor House, on reaching which a thorough examination was made and all that could be done to alleviate the suffering of the patient was attended to. Fortunately, he was unconscious. His person presented a sickening appearance. The right arm from the wrist to the neck was literally roasted, the right side from the lower rib upwards, and extending from near the back bone to the right breast was almost as bad, the fingers of the left hand were burned, the fore finger dreadfully so, his right ear was burned off, also all the hair from his hear, the scalp and flesh on the forehead were literally charred, right eye destroyed, and right cheek roasted. It is not possible for him to recover. Sunday he was conscious, complaining of the pain to his shoulder; his head and arm had swollen very much, and the swelling was increasing.