Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-05
ARTHUR LANGHAM KILLED
Uncle of Baroness Speck Won Stern
burg Loses His Life.
CAUSE OF DROWNING
Little Girls Succumb to Fireworks
Burns-Statistics Compiled in
Chicago Covering Country.

Speck Won Sternburg. died early today as
the result OF injuries received by the ex-
plosion of a giant f1recracker last night
Mr.. Langham was until recently head OF
the Provident Life Assurance Society OF
New York. The accident occurred at the
home of his brother-in-law. John j. Peter
OF Seymour. Ind, where Mr.. Langfam
was spending the week end with a party
of Louisville society people.
giant cracker. lighted and thrown
onto the grass. showed diatory signs.
and Mr. Langham picked it up and ap-
piled a match to the fuse. The cracker
exploded before he could throw il away.
mangling his right hand. Each finger
was torn from its socket. A physician
was summoned at once and ali operation
performed. after which Mr.. Langham
seemed to rally, but he died after a few
hours.
MI Langham was fifty-flve years old
and native of Birmingham. England
His brother Charles, who died IN Colo
RADIO several years ago, was the father OF
Miss Lily Langham. widow OF the Ger
man Ambassador Won Sternburg.
Mr.. Langham was a member of the in
surance firm of Barbee d Castleman Of
louisville. He assum ID national imam
cial prominence in 1908 by gaining con-
troll of the Provid mt. then IA point OF
uliltlcllGc bCtNcci SIoS IUkbcS qild
surance Commissioner Otto kelsey of
New York. Later he was elected presi-
rent.
Mr.. Langham was also the uncle of the
Comtesse de Fairamont. wife of the naval
attache OF the French embassy at Wash
ington. His widow, formerly Miss Stella
Peter of Louisville Is at present with
Baroness Won Sternburg in Europe.
Firecracker Causes Drowning.
MADISON, Wis, July 5.-Frank Dixon
the fourteen-year-old son of George W
Dixon Of st. Louis. was drowned yes
terday in Horseshoe lake near Madison.
Frightened BY the explosion of a cannon
cracker behind him. Dixon fell from the
bank on which he had been DOING. The
youth and his two brothers had been sent
here by their father to avoid the pos
sibility of their being injured by fireworks
at st. Louis.
Child Dies Of Burns.
| PHILADELPHIA, July 5. The first
death in this city from fireworks was
recorded last night, when Mary Gluck,
two and half years old. died from
burns received Saturday. Her clothing
had been ignited by firecracker.
Fireworks Cause a Death.
CAMDEN, n. j., July 5-After suffer
Ing terrible agony, Ruth 7. Knowles, the
six-year-old daughter of Henry Knowles
who was burned about the back and
neck when her dress caught fire from
fireworks, died at the Cooper Hospital
yesterday.
List Smaller Than Last Year
CHICAGO, July 3.--Statistics compiled
by the Tribune regarding the Fourth of
July casualties throughout the country
indicate a much smaller list OF fatalities
and injuries than in any preceding year
The figures procured after the first day
OF celebration are: Dead, 19-by fire.
works and resulting fires, 3; by cannon
1; by firearms. 3: by gunpowder :; by
toy pistols, 10. Injured, 427-by fireworks,
166; by cannon, 81; by firearms. g.; by
gunpowder. 80; by torpedoes, 8; by toy
pistols. IS; by bomb canes. 3. by run
| aways, Il. Fire loss, $50. 200 In Chi
cago one man was killed and there were
scores OF injuries and small fires.
Fourth Picnickers Sustain Injury.
LAFAYETTE. Ind, July 5.-Nine MEM
bers of Fourth Of July picnic were in
jured. two OF them perhaps fatally, last
night, when big moving van that was
bringing them back to Lafayette fell
over a sxteen-foot embankment near
Wildcat Bridge. The wagon was demol-
ished.
Loads Small Cannon, Loses Finger.
ELMIRA, " Y, July 5.-While nine
teen -year-old Manson Taylor was load
ing small cannon with dynamite last
evening a quantity Of the explosive was
discharged, blowing off the index finger
Of the boys right hand.
Dynamite Cracker Explodes in Hand
PoUGHKEEPSIE, n. Y, July o.--Louis
Santo. aged nine years, had his thumb
torn to shreds yesterday when a dyna-
mite tirecracker exploded i'll his hand.
Toy Pistol Wound Proves Fatal.
SISTERVIILE. W. Va, July 5.-Leon-
ard L. Comedy, thirteen years old, who
accidentally shot himself In the hand
with a toy pistol several days ago, liz
dead at his home here from tetanus. Cit
izens, stirred up by this death, are de-
manding a restriction OF the sale OF dam
gerous toys.
Fatality at Richmond.
RICHMOND, Va. July 5.-Celebration
of the Fourth of July claimed a victim
in the person of little Dorothy Smith.
the three-year-old daughter of W. r.
Smith OF West Clay street. who was fatal
Nv burned yesterday afternoon while play
ing with her six-year-oid brother Whit, in
their back yard. The girl was literally
burned alive, not a shred OF clothing be-
ing left on her tiny form. The children
had taken some flrecrackers into the yard
and it is supposed that the child caught
fire while trying to set of one of them
The little lad was 50 badly frightened
that he could tell nothing Of how the ac-
cident occurred.
Cannon Explodes, Two May Die.
WILKESBARRE, Pa. July 5.-A can
non which had been overcharged, eX-
ploded last night in North Wilkesbarre,
and four boys were SO badly injured that
two Of them may die. Michael McNulty
had his left hand blown OF. Thomas Cat
lahan lost an eye and James Dougherty
and Anthony Poerkowit2 were perhaps
fatally burned. Exploding frecrackers
set fire to the dress. Of ten -year-old Rosa
Iituske and she was fatally burned.
"Devil Chaser" Ignites Dress.
ST. LOUIS. July 5.-Nellie Sullivan,
fourteen years old, died today from burns
resulting from devil chaser winch
fgnited the girls dress