The Redwood gazette., 1902-04-02
7-Y6nR OLD BOY BURNED
Charles Hoeckert Meets the Death Most
Horrible on Last Thursday
Afternoon.
Plays With Matches and Sets Fire to a
Barn and Was Then Unable
to Escape.

Charles Hoeckert, the. Seven-year
old son of Mrs. Agnes Hoeckert of
Morgan, was burned to death in a
fire one and half miles north of
Morgan, about 4 o clock last Thurs
day afternoon. Only the charred
remains of a portion of the boys
body escaped the flames, and after
these were raked >Cut from the
debris they were placed in a bas-
ket and taken to a granary where
they remained until after Coroner
Dredge of Belview decided that an
inquest would be unnecessary.
Rynhold temple, a German of
about middle age, was the owner of
the farm on which the accident
happened. Mr.. temple was burned
quite badly on either side of his
head, and very slightly on the left
hand in an attempt to save some
thing from the fire.
Charles Hoeckert has been in the
habit of spending days at time
with the Temple family, he prefer
ring a residence on the farm to a
residence in the village, where his
mother and young sister reside,
and where the mother is assisted by
the county in gaining a livelihood.
His presence was welcomed by the
temple family for the reason that he
did small chores about the house
and farm and his mother was glad
to have him working for Mr.. Zem-
pie. The boy was considered a
careful boy, although he was sub
ject to fainting spells, when his ac-
tions seemed peculiar.
On the Saturday preceding the.
accident he concluded to go out to
Mr.. temples farm and spend some
time there. Securing his mothers
consent he left for the farm and was
welcomed. A day or two before
the accident occurred he was lee
tured on the danger of handling
matches aud promised to have Moth
hing to do with them. But on the
day OF the accident he apparently
left the house with some matches in
his pockets, and went to the barn.
saying that he would look for the
eggs. He climbed into the hay NOW
and when in the western end he
undoubtedly struck match. which
set fire to the hay. aud soon the
building was ablaze. The boy, see
ing what he had done, rushed to
the east side of the barn to escape
the flames, but he was unable to
get to the ground floor, and the
flames overlook him 10 moment.
He was burned, not smothered.
to death, because his cries and
means were heard by Mrs. temple.
standing outside the barn. who
could do nothing to help him. When
| the fire was over the charred re-
mains of the boy were found in the
northeast corner of where the build
ing had stood few minutes pre-
vlouS.
The flames were first discovered
by Mrs. Temple, who saw them
bursting through the roof of the
northwest corner of the building.
She ran into the field ON the north
side of the house, and called Fire z
to her husband. The latter rushed
to the spot. aud not knowing that
the boy was in the barn, attempted
to save half a dozen calves which
had been penned up in the struc-
ture. But the FIRE had made such
headway that he found it impossi-.
BILE. let alone saving the boy IN the.
hay nov, chad he known that the
boy was there) and he escaped from
the barn with either side OF his
head burned.and his vest ablaze.
The vest was torn from his bodv bysI
his wife. By this time the two
eZemple boys had come in from the
field and they assisted their mother
in saving the residence. the gran
ary and other outbuildings. DR..
Adams was summoned from Nor
gan and dressed Mr. temple 81
wounds
Mr. temple lost SIX head Of