Kate’s Notes: I have been unable to identify with certainty the Marian Gillilan who is the subject of this newspaper report. Among the candidates is a Marion Gilliland, daughter of Archibald  and Jessie Gillilan. This family was orginally from Iowa but are to be found in the 1920 census for Kane County, Illinois, not far from Evanston. If you can confirm the identity of Miss Marian Gillilan, please drop me a line at hpuppet@verizon.net/

From The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
20 August 1920

HEROINE SAVES CHUM
FROM SHOWER OF FIRE
_________

   Chicago, Aug. 20. -- The presence of mind and prompt action of Miss Marian Gillilan, aged 18, probably saved the life of her chum, Miss Minerva Iverson, 2722 Harrison st., Evanston, when an alcohol stove exploded and set Miss Iverson’s clothing on fire.
   Miss Iverson was curling her hair when the stove exploded, showering her dress and hair with the burnng liquid. She rushed screaming from the room, enveloped in flames from head to foot. Miss Gilliland seized a pitcher of water, dashed the contents over her chum’s head, and then rolled [her] in some rugs.
   She then called the Evanston hospital, but was told by the authorities there they could not receive the patient because all beds were filled.
   Two physicians were called in and an examination showed the girl had been severely burned from her head to her ankles. A second call was made to the Evanston hospital, but again entrance was refused. A nurse was located, however, and hurried to the house to attend the patient.
   “Any friend would have done the same as I,” insisted Miss Gillilan, denying she was a heroine. “But I wonder what Joseph Wiegand will think. He is a sailor at Great Lakes, and you know Minerva is engaged to him.”

-- transcription by Kate Maynard, 2010