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Died at Sight of Burning Stable
Mrs. Rickeard of Grafton Tho't
It was Daughter's House
and Family Burning Up

BLAMED ON DRUNKS

     On Saturday night shortly after 10 o'clock the stable belonging to Mrs. Maud Hoover, 
widow of Joseph M. Hoover, of Grafton, was seen to be on fire.  Nothing could be done to 
save the building as the fire had such headway, and it burned to the ground with her cow 
and all her chickens.
     Mrs. Sarah Rickeard, the wife of postmaster Elijah Rickeard, of that place, who has 
not been in good health, saw the fire from her home which is in line with her son-in-law 
and daughter's home, Mr. and Mrs. Gehrett Grove's, and she started for the fire, thinking 
it was her daughter's home and that the family were all burning up.  When she got out in 
the street she was very excited and mourned loudly for her daughter's misfortune.  The 
neighbors and Gehrett Grove's family gathered around her, telling her that they were all 
safe, and that it was not their home at all.  She got as far as Gehrett Grove's porch, 
when she sank down and died of heart failure.
     It has been a common occurrence for the drunks of the town to bring whiskey home by 
the bottle.  It is supposed that a couple of them got into this particular stable on 
Saturday night and that while smoking they set fire to it.
     At the time the stable was burning Miss Grace Grove, the daughter of Gehrett Grove, 
ran their auto out of the garage, which is opposite the stable.  Sparks dropped on the 
auto with Grace in it.  Mrs. Rickeard saw this, which was one of the cause of her hysteria 
and death.
     Mrs. Rickeard was the daughter of James and Esther Lloyd and was born at McConnellstown 
on November 25, 1849.  At the time of her death she was aged 67 years, seven months and 
twenty days.  She was one of Grafton's most highly respected women, and was a member of the 
Christian and Missionary Alliance church.  She was very sympathetic and was always helping 
the sick and others in their time of trouble.
     She is survived by her husband, two daughters and one son.  The children are--Mrs. 
Unity, wife of Gehrett Grove, a merchant at Grafton; Mrs. Grace, wife of Lionel Corrigan; 
and Charles Rickeard, both of Huntingdon.
     The funeral will be held on Tuesday afternoon from the Lutheran church near Grafton 
at 2 o'clock.  Services will be conducted by the Rev. Monsley, of Huntingdon.  Interment 
will be made in McConnellstown cemetery.