The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-17

wife. Mr. Crouch and his wife have
been married less than two months, al
though Mr.. Crouch is IA years of age,
and Mrs. Crouch is 68. Fifty years ago
they were lovers at the little town of
Buel, VT. After being engaged for some
time, they had a disagreement, and Mr..
Crouch came to Topeka to live. He
married another woman, who died some
years ago. Topeka people were sur
prised when they read in the State Jour-
nal of May % that t. J. Crouch had
been married to Miss Mary Jane Lane,
at Rutland, Va, and the little story
of the romantic reuniting of the old
lovers added interest to the story.
Mrs. Crouch proved her devotion to
her husband more quickly than some
wives have opportunity to do. She
saved his life before they had been mar
ried 60 days.
Mr.. Crouch was in great pain while
his injuries were being dressed, but he
bore the agony courageouSly, and man
aged to tell a reporter for the State
Journal how the accident occurred.
II went from the shop to my home
this morning" he said, ito light the
gasoline stove for my wife, who did not
know how to manage gasoline. She had
some baking she wanted to do. She did
not like the gasoline stove, and was
afraid of it. I went into the kitchen
and lit the gasoline, and it burned all
right for quite a spell. Then all of a
sudden it seemed to run right up the
pipe, and commence to blaze all over
the gasoline reservoir. I knew that 1t
would make trouble, and I grabbed the
stove and tried to pull it out the back
door. / found that the door was hook
ed on the other side, and that the only
way to get it out of the house was to
go out the front door and unlock the
back door. By that time 1t seemed as
though the room was full of fire. 1t
drove me back into a corner. If I had
stayed there would have been roasted
alive, but. / made a dash through the
flame out the front hall. and into the
open air. Then tried to pull the stove
out the back door. Just as I was get
ting it nearly out. the top Of the stove
all came off, having been melted by
heat, and the gasoline blazing in the
tank spilled all over me. My clothes
commenced to blaze, and I couldn't
seem to get the fire extinguished. Just
then my wife ran up with a blanket and
wrapped it around me, and smothered
the fire. If it hadn't been for her 1
guess things would be a good deal
worse than they are. The damage to
my house is covered by insurance"
The accident may have been caused
either by a leak in the tank or by the
fact that the tank was too full Mrs.
Crouch thinks the latter was the cause.
She said.
1.-The tank was filled last night, and 1
think 1t must have been too full. While
Mr.. Crouch was kindling the fire every
thing seemed to be all right Then when
AZ SedIlcCs IL SEEMED DIS though lIG
wind sucked the fire right through the
house Mr.. Crouch was caught in one
corner of the kitchen. expect he jump
ed back to avoid the flames. Then he
rushed right through the fire, and out
the front door.
when he pulled the stove out the
back door his clothing was afire, and
/ wrapped blanket around him.
burned my hands some, / guess, but
1t Is not serious"
Unless some complications ensue, Mr.
Crouch will probably be able to be
about again soon. His burned hand
will probably interfere with his work
for some time, however. There is some
possibility, however, that Mr. Crouch's
injuries will prove serious, and require
considerable time to heal.
Chief Wilmarth says that the fire al
the Crouch horne was one of the quick
est blazes to get start he ever saw
The department made a quick run to
the fire, but before it arrived the flames
and smoke were pouring from the front
OF the house, and the frame addition
was a mass of fire. The blaze was ex-
tinguished with the use of chemicals
only. but the back kitchen, dining room
and front hall were reduced to ruins
The parlor was damaged by smoke prin-
cfpally, as We're the upstairs apart
ments.
Several years ago when Mr.. Crouch was
1iYinS on the east side of the avenue oppo-
site nom his present home. he had a very