In a shocking display of desperation, Mrs. Lena Crayley, a 35-year-old resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, set her third-story apartment ablaze in a tragic attempt at self-immolation on October 21, 1889, at 2025 Penn Avenue. The incident, which has left many in the community reeling, began in the evening when Mrs. Crayley, who had been entertaining her sister’s young daughter, became overcome with a sense of domestic duty. Seizing on the opportunity to clean her windows, she took down the shutters to wash them, but what followed was a descent into chaos.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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