The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-03-31
TWO MEET DEATH
IN BURNING home
Mrs. Newton and Son, John,
Incinerated in Sioux
City Fire.
THE MOTHER HAD TAINTED
This Is the Only Explanation of the
Fact, That, After Being Wax.
ened, She Did Not Escape
from Open Window.


ilton street, a o'clock Wednesday
morning two people were burned to
death and one painfully burned While
attempting to rescue the others.
The dead:
JOHN NEWTON, aged 9, son of Mrs.
Newton.
The injured:
Henry A. Kneebone, driver for the
kudrle grocery, aged 26, burned about
the head and hands: not serious.
Mrs. Newton met death at the very
moment of her escape from the burn |
ing building and after frantic efforts
by Kneebone, her son-in-law. to save
her.
Calling from the second story room,
she said she would flee at once. Later
she appeared at the window, half
dressed and then stepped back pre-
sumably to call her boy, and was seen
no more. 1t is supposed she tainted.
Kneebone Risked Death.
kneebone risked death in Il vain at
tempt to save his mother-in-law. Run
ming through a cauldron of flame, which
bistered his hands and face, burned
his hair from his head and scorched
his bare feet, he CROPPED blindly about
to find the doomed woman and her
boy, only to be forced by smoke ana
fumes to retreat
The house burned to the ground in
the presence of the fremen and crowd
of neighborS who were poWerlesS 10
save the prisoners The charred re-
mains of the mother and son were
found in the basement and taken to
Westcotts morgue.
While her husband was attempting
to recue her mother and brother, Mrs.
Kneebone, weak and sick, seized her
11-days-old infant and escaped to the
home of neighbor in her night cloth
ba iC
deal bravely.
1t Was a Gasoline Stove.
Mrs. Newton and her boy arrived
Monday evening from Shelton, Neb.,
to visit her daughter, Mrs. kneebone,
whose baby was born eleven days ago.
She was doing the houseWOrk ana car
ing for her daughter.
Last evening at supper Mrs. Newton,
who was not familiar with the use OF
gasoline, asked her son to turn off the
burner The boy reported it had al
ready been turned off, but 1t is evident
that it had not, for when Mr.. Knee
Bone at 10 o'clock last night examined
the stove he discovered the tank was
empty. Surprising the burner was
turned off, he refiled the tank Sc that
ne could attend to the fire early TINS
morning. The gasoline escaping aL
night from the burner filled the par
beneath it and ran over the floor Wher
Kneebone at $40 O'Clock rose, anc
walking into the Kitchen. STRUCK d
match, the explosion followed.
Mrs. Newton Upstairs
The Kneebone cottage was story
and a half structure with a one-storl
Kitchen There were four rooms, three
downstairs and one upstairs. The up
stairs room had a low ceiling, but Wa
Hghted by full length windows at tn
east and west ends. Mr.. and Mrs
I<neebone and the baby slept in bed
room downstairs opening off the sit
ting room. These two rooms We're i'm
mediately beneath the room occupied
by Mrs Newton and the boy. Th
kitchen was on the north side A doc
led from the sitting room into tn
kitchen and the door to the stalrWa
leading to the room which Mrs. New
ton and the boy occupied opened int
the kitchen.
Kneebone rose shortly after ocloc
and heard Mrs. Newton stirring in tn
room overhead He stepped quietl
into the kitchen. closing behind hir
the door leading to the sitting room
The door y the stairs was also CLOSED
The moment he struck a match ther
was an explosion and the gasoline too
fire.
Would Carry Burning Stove.
Selling the stove Kneebone attempt
ed to carry it outdoors. His clothin
was soon aflame and he was cor
PEELED to drop it. The noise of II
explosion and the movements of Knee
bone were heard by Mrs. Newton. WI
called from the stairs:
rs the house on fire."
Yes, mother; dress quickly G.
John and go to the east window. l
take you down from there shoute
Kneebone, hurrying outside.
Kneebone warned his wife. wi
seized her baby and ran to the hon
of Frank Messick near by. kneebol
had no ladder. but he found pie
of gas pipe about ten feet long. III
he took and broke the window on Il
east side.
Hurry, mother; come and jump al
I'll catch you," he cried.
The form Of Mrs. Newton, hf
dressed, appeared in the broken wi
dow At this time the fire was CO
Sned to the kitchen.
Don't get excited, mother" call
Kneebone. you and John jump.
have no ladder
Moments Of Agony.
Mrs Newton said nothing, +
turned back kneebone waited a m
ment, but she did not reappear. I
cries to rouse her to her danger we
heard a block away.
Seconds which seemed hours
Kneebone passed and then he turn
and hurried straight into the kitch
which by this time was burnt
furiously.
Through the flames which licked
face at every step blistering the 81
and burning the hair from his he
Kneebone rushed over the floor. &C
cred with dropping fire brands VIII
scorched his bare feet. He opened
door to the stairway and ran
flames and smoke following him.
Mother, mother! John, Jol
Here, here. Come this way!'
shouted in agony.
Driven Out by Flames.
The room was dark and fast fill
with smoke. He CROPPED blindly TO
moment, but could see nothing OF n
Newton or the boy. Hoping they
leaped from the window. kneeb
fought his way to freedom thro,
the burning kitchen and dropped,
suffocated, outside.
He struggled to his feet and as
hurried to the east Window. SIN
was pouring from this and he then
TO the west window, which he S
smashed Placing the gas pipe aga
the side of the house he climbed