Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-09-07
BURNED TO DEATH
Mr.. and Mrs. George Damn Both
Die From Injuries.
GASOLINE CAUSED THE FIRE
The Fire Occurred Last Thursday Morn
inG SHORTLY After Eleven O'Clock.

One of the saddest and most tragic
events that has happened in Lancaster
for many years was the lire last
Thursday which caused the death Of
Mr. and Mrs. Geo Damn, leaving
three bright little boys orphans. and
almost ruined their neat little home
i'll this city.
About l. O'Clock Thursday or few
minutes after us Mrs. Damn was pre-
pairing their dinner, her husband came
IN and Mrs. Damn said to him that
the stove did not worl; right Mr.
Damn examined it and said that there
was not enough gasoline in the tank
and that he would iii it. lie went
out and soon returned with gallon
measure full Of oil lie supposed his
wife had turned OF The blrncr but it
seems she had not shut it of entirely
though she thought she had. Just
how the fire started will never be
known for surc but it is supposed that
in filling the tank some of the oil
was spilled onto the blazing burner
which caused the oil III lis hands to
take lire and from that TO his cloth
ing. The gasoline did not explode as
many have understood but blazcd up
with flash filling the room with
flames, gas and smoke Mr. Damn
called 10 his wife to leave the room
which She did and he ran ont by an
other door and rolled on the grass and
put the fire out on himself BY this
time others had reached the scene
aud he inquired whore Mary. his wife,
was. She had turned upon leaving
the room and seeing her husband on
tire started back TO 90 TO him just rs
he left the room hy another way while
she was SO overcome by the gas and
intense heat as to be unable to make
her way out Of the room She had
stopped over and tried 70 get piece
Of carpet to put out the flames with
but was unable To move heavy table
which stood upon it, and she was
overcome and had fallen to the floor
With her face downward.
Mr.. Strccter, who was The first per-
son to reach the housca and who helped
carry Mrs Damn out, tells the follow
ing story: ~ was working at Smiths
barn Just across the street when /
heard the explosion and looked around
surprising it came from the mill which
was running at that time, but almost
instantly there was q scream and ]
saw the blaze coming out of the win
dow of the house. started down
from the barn and in the short time IL
took me to run across the road Mr.
Damn had been outside to put the
flames out on himself and when he
discovered that Mrs. Damn was not
outside he rushed 10 the window on
the northeast corner of the house and
was going through the window which
he had broken at the same time | was
going through the diuing-r0om door
ON the east side Of the house When
got into the room The heat was in
tense and saw Mr. Damn in the
room Just about TO fall; he was al
ready down ON one knee, By using
all my strength showed him towards
the door and with the assistance of
Mr. Rcukauf lie was taken into the
open air Mrs. Damn was found
with her face to the floor and with
great difficulty She was moved outside
onto the porch whore the fire upon
her clothing was eXtingushed and she
revived for the time. II was less than
1--WE minutes from the time the fire
started until both were gotten out Of
the house Mr.. Streeter's right hand
aud arm were badly burned.
Several of the ncighbors, who so
kindly assisted ia trying to save Mr..
and Mrs. Damn, were burned on the
hands and face, Il is also stated that
Mr. Damn did not % through the
window rs it is supposed he tried to
do but turned back and went in al
the door.
Mrs. Damn was carried across III,
street 70 Mrs. Sppncor's. where sew
eral physicians attended her, doing
everything possible To alleviate hel
suiTcrings. She lived only twenty
three hours, passing away a 1880 4
NJ Friday.
MIR Damn, though terribly burned
was able TO so into the mil
and stop the engine and with the as
sistance of two men walked to the Di
vail House, where he was well takei
care Of. lie was in great agony TO
many hours and made brave strng