The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-09-21
ENTIRE FAMILY BURNED
Charles Lowe, Wife and Baby Burn
in their Home Northwest of
fiumestOn Last Week.

Humeston Advocate:
With her 15-months-old babe clasped
to her breast, half sutfocated with
smoke and frantic with pain from burns
inflicted by the explosion of can of
kerosene, Mrs. Charles Lowe went
down to horrible death in the ruins of
her burning home Wednesday morning
at 10 O'clock, while her devoted hus-
band, suffering from fatal injuries re-
ceived in the same accident, crouched
outside the door utterly powerlcss to
render any assistance.
The tragedy, which is the most hor-
rible that has ever taken place in south
ern Iowa, occurred at the Van Miller
farm, seven miles northwest of Humes-
ton, and aside from the statement OF
Mr.. Lowe while he lay on his dcath-bed
and the story told by Mr.. Miller, aged
and feeble, the origin of the explosion
is somewhat problematical.
Shortly after 10 o'clock Wednesday
morning Dr.. H. I. Smith, of Humeston,
received a telephone message from Mr..
Lowe stating that his baby was suffer
ing with spasms and asking for his at
tendance as soonas possible. DR.. Smith
assured MIR. Lowe that he would start
Immediately and, to relieve the suffer-
ings temporarily, told him to bathe the
infant in warm water and otherwise ap-
ply such simple remedies as could be
arranged for. Upon receiving this
message Mr.. and Mrs. Lowe went to the
kitchen to prepare the water. While
the latter was filling the vessel Mr..
Lowe went to the wood pile and Sc
cured a load of kindling which proved
to be wet and slow to ignite Anxious
to hasten the blaze the unfortunate
man picked up a ive-gallon can sup
posed to contain kerosene and unscrew-
ing the top started to pour oil on the
fire. Instantly a terrific explosion
took place, burning oil being thrown all
over the room and the one adjoining.
With clothing all ablaze MIR. Lowe ran
outside the door while his wife, who
was standing some distance from the
stove and had not received the full
force of the explosion, sprang into an
adjoining room to save her baby. Van
Miller, who owned the house and was
making his home with the family, was
standing in the doorway between the
kitchen and adjoining room at the time
of the explosion and was forced violent
ly across the room. Instantly the
flames caught the curtains and other
inflammable material in the room and
rapidly spread to other portions of the
building.
Mr.. Miller ran to Mrs. Lowe, who had
secured the baby, and led her through
the thick smoke to a door on the side
of the house where the fire had not
gained much headway.
The door was locked and Mr. Miller
released her hand to turn the key tell
ing her to remain quiet, but in her
frenzy the suffering woman turned i'm
mediately into the portion of the house
where the smoke and fire was the thick
est. Mr.. Miller, intirm and ehoked
with smoke, could do nothing then but
save himself, and with one last look in
to the blazing building, sprang from the
doorway and escaped with only slight
burns about the head and face.
During all this time Mr.. Lowe WIS
standing in the yard frantically en-
deavoring to tear the clothes from his
body and calling for assistance for his
wife and baby. Mr.. Miller after escap-
ing from the burning building attempt
ed to assist him but was too weak to be
of much aid. About this time S. Ii.
Gibbs, neighbor, who had seen the
flames and ran quarter of a mile
through the deep mud, arrived and
stripped the clothing from the terribly
injured man, who constantly called for
aid for the inmates of the house. Mr.
Gibbs kicked in window but could see
nothing for the thick smoke which filled
the room. Reaching through the open
window his hand encountered bed
and, leaning far through the aperture,
he tore the bed clothes loose hoping to
find the women and child bat they were
not there. Rushing to another window
he forced in the sash and was met with
sheet of flames so fierce that he was
compelled to jump back to escape being
burned. At this time Harry Clark, an
other neighbor, arrived and lent his
efforts to aid the occupants but the in
side of the building was roaring fur
mace and all efforts had to be abandoned.
Clark peered through the flames just as
the building collapsed and saw the
bodies of the woman and child drop
through to the cellar. A small brother
of Mrs. Lowe, who was making his home
with the family, arrived too late to be
any assistance and his grief was pitiful
in the extreme.
Gibbs had wrapped comfort pulled
and there being no team nearer than
the pasture had started to walk with
him to the nearest house. Mr..
Lowe supported by his companion, sue
ceeded in this manner in progressing
quarter of mile when they were met
by his brother. Will Lowe, who had evil
IDENTIFY had his team hitched to the
wagon when the news of the fire reach
ed him, and from this point the convey
ance was used to the residence of MIR.
Gibbs, where he lived until shortly af-
ter two o'clock, conversing in rational
manner until fifteen minutes before
death. DR.. Smith who was on his way
to attend the baby, arrived shortly af-
ter and while not prepared for injuries
of this nature, remained until death oc-
cured and with DR.. Throckmorton, of
Derby, did everything possible to re-
leiye the suffering.
In the meantime the building had
burned completely to the ground and
the large crowd which had gathered
put forth every effort to quench the fire