, 1907-03-18
DRIVER FOR MERCANTILE COM.
PANY FREEZES 70 DEATH IN
OPEN PRAIRIE WHILE
SEEKING SHELTER.
Charles Burke Of Texas succumbs to
Cold, His Young Companion, Ed
gar shaffer, Having Hard Time to
Prevent Loss Of His own Life
Latter Reused Time and Again by
Faithful Little Dog,

Charles Burke, aged SO years, whose
mother and sister reside near Denison,
Iexas, and who is believed to have rel
auves in Indian Territory, was frozen
to death during a wind storm near
Rock River last Wednesday night. his
body being found Saturday and brought
to this city last evening. by direction
OF DR.. James Ballard. the county cor
oner. 1t ia now at the Stryker under.
taking rooms, awaiting the order of
the coroner to bury it, that official try.
ing to get into communication with
some Of the relatives of the dead man
Laid Down and Died.
Mr.. Burke. known locally at Tex"
was driving a team for the Toltec Mer-
camille company Of Rock River and
Toltec, from the old Rock creek sta
ton. He was accompanied by a young
man named Edgar Shaffer, who came
to the city with the body yesterday af-
ternoon and who went to the johnson
hotel, being under the care OF DR.. Nc
Collum for some badly frozen fingers
and toes. He is in a serious condition,
but DR.. McCollum believed amputation
of toes and fingers would not be neces-
sary.
Was Almost Overcome.
Mr.. Burke and Mr.. Shaffer were on
their way to the stores Of the Toltec
company with their freight outfits
when night overlook them and the
wind storm blew up. There are about
two feet Of snow on the ground along
the trail, and while no new snow fell,
the snow blew and q blizzard ragged,
making Roadway very dinicult. The
men became confused and lost their
way on the open prairie. About mid
night Wednesday night they abandoned
the wagons, turned the horses adrift
and sought a nearby ranch a1oot.
saved BY His Dog.
On the way Mr.. Burke lay down and
died, his companion watching with him
during the last moments of his life and
for half an hour after death came.
Then he started on the trip alone, ex-
cept for a faithful dog that had been
his companion for some time. He
wandered he knows not where, more
than once giving up and settling down
to sleep. Once he managed to get in
behind some rocks and had fallen to
sleep, when the dog jumped upon him
and walked him up. Several times the
faithful animal did this, each time hav-
ing more difficulty in rousing the ex-
hausted man.
Made Way to Hall Ranch.
Finally Shaffer realized that he was
freezing to death and the determination
came upon him to rouse himself and
seek shelter from the storm. He pulled
himself together and guided by the dog,
managed to make his way to the Hall
ranch about daylight Thursday morn
ing, where a searching party was or
gained, being composed of ]. M
Woody, George auckland and T. s
Garrett. They started out and others
helped, the body Of the unfortunate
driver beng found on Saturday.
Coroner Notified.
The remains were takeL to Rock
River, whence q telegram was sent BY
Neal Matheson to DR.. James A. Ballard
the county coroner. reaching here al
4:O5 that afternoon. DR.. Ballard went
to the scene and had the body brougk'
to this city last afternoon.
Mr.. Shaffer was able to give a very
meager account of his wanderingE
when he reached the Hall ranch. and tt
use the language Of a correspondent o.
The Republican who sent word to THU
paper yesterday, "he was nearly all II
himself, and could give little account
of the whereabouts of his companion
MAY Have Lived Here.
The body when found was badly froz
en- and was in that state when turned
over to Mr.. Stryker last night 1t wal
cared for by that gentleman, but thu
interment will have to follow soon, a
the change Of temperature Is showing
the decay already setting in DR.. Bal
lard at. noon today had been unable t.
located the relatives. He thought b.
would be able to find Burke's trunk a
one Of the hotels here, the unfortunate
man having, 1t was reported, once beef
a resident for a short time in This city
hut at noon the coroner had not founs
In Mr. Burke began teaming for thu
Toltec company about q year ago. own
,nv h,s own team and hauling for pay