Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-09
FIVE DIE In FLAMES
Terrible Fatality Attends Fire in 0'Danisls
Home at Seymour Park.
CHILDREN ALL PERISH WHILE IN BED
Mother Probably Fatally Burned in
Attempt to Rescue Them.
THEIR FATHER ALSO SUFFERS SEVERELY
One Daughter Only Member Of Family to
Escape Injury.
LIGHTED MATCH lGNITES CAN OF OIL
Err FATHER ALSO SUFFERS SEVERELY
LIGHTED MATCH lGNTEs CAN OF OIL
Explosion Follows and FLAMES Spread
SO Rapidly There is No Chance to
Save Lives Of Little
Ones.


save Lives OF Little
ones.
burned to death last night at Seymour
park. They were Lille, aged IS: Ernest,
aged 9; Bertha, aged u Earl, aged T. and
Florence. aged 8. The bodies OF the Eve
children all lie in the smouldering ruins
Of the house. The mother, Mrs. Lucy
o'Daniels. was probably fatally burned as
the result of the outburst of the flames
and her efforts to save her children. There
is scarcely part Of her body untouched.
The father has both hands terribly burned
in his frantic endeavors to do something
toward the rescue The oldest daughter.
Ethel, girl Of II. is the only one in the
family uninjured.
The fire occurred soon after S o'clock in
the evening and was the result Of the
explosion of a kerosene can. The mother
had been searching for something and while
III NHt NlNlilNS VI ~ llNt-BdlluN Ndh VI
kerosene struck match The can immedi-
ately exploded, throwing the burning oil
around the room and upon her. The flames
spread with incredible rapidity
Children Perish in BED.
The five children who were burned to
death were all in bed and there was no time
for their escape. The screams of tho
woman brought the father and eldest
daughter from milking in the barn, which
was built close to the house. When he
arrived the tortured woman rushed from
the room where she had tried to fight the
flames back from her children until the
agony drove her to try to save her own life.
When the flames in her clothing were ex-
tinguished she had lost consciousness
crowd of the neighbors came running to
the aid of the family. but by the time OF
their arrival nothing was left 10 be dons.
The flames had claimed their human VIC
time, the entire house and barn and even
a windmill standing near.
In trying to save his wife and children
Thomas O'Daniels burned his hands until
it may be necessary TO smputate them.
| After it was seen that all efforts to save
the children were hopeless, Mrs. o'Daniels
was carried TO the home Of the nearest
neighbor. ]. c. House. There efforts
we're made 10 relieve her and DR.. W. ].
McCrann was summoned from South
Omaha. He dressed her wounds tempo
rarily and she was taken to the South
Omaha hospital in the Brewer ambulance
at midnight. The father from the pain
Of his wounds and the grief at the loss OF
his children. is on the verge of collapse.
He was also brought to the hospital
Words are wanting to tell Of the grief of
! the only surviving daughter. 1t was with
difficulty that she was kept from throw
ing herself into the flames.
valuable Korsss Burn.
The house, barn and out buildings all
burned There we're several cows and
three fine horses stabbed there. The horses
were owned by Dr. George l.. Miller, who
also owns the property. one OF the horses
was a gift to him from the late Ben b.
Wood. The destroyed home was located
in Seymour park near the site Of the Cud-
ahy ice houses Mr. O'Dsniels was Cud-
ahy's overseer at the ice plant. Several
relatives and close friends OF the family
on hearing of the terrible end Of the happy
home, secured rigs and hurried out to
the scene. Among them were John Riches
and wife.
O'Daniels was we'll known and liked by
his neighbors. j. c. House was one of
the first to arrive at the fire after II be-
came known. others were not much be-
hind. The shock Of the catastrophe
robbed the whole neighborhood Of sleep
for the night.
Or. Miller was early notified OF the
calamity and was almost ovsrcclna by this
second disaster on the property. the FIRST
being the burning OF his beautiful man
sion and the destruction therein Of his
valuable library, private papers and the
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