Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-08

they entered the staley home they
would be crushed by falling timbers.
| Started Under Stairs.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Staley believe today
that the flames started under the
stairway. as the stairs were burned
away when they awoke and seemed
to form the base of the flames. A
small hole was found by painter
In the closet under the stairs when
at work, showing that q fire had oc-
CURED there before. The only plausible
cause Of the flames, Mr.. Staley be-
lieves, Is electric wires.
Victims Give Version.
As he lay In bed in one Of the
lower front rooms Of the hospital this
morning swathed In bandages j. c..
Staley, victim of the fire which de-
stroyed his home, related his expert
ence In seeking safety for Mrs. Sta
ley and himself.
I'VE usually sleep with the bed
room door open during the night. but
on account Of some painting being
done we closed the door last night to
escape the smell of turpentine and
paint. This, no doubt, prevented us
from noticing the fire earlier and
made 1t perilous to attempt to save
anything don't know what time
awoke, but I know that the smell of
smoke and fire aroused me from my
sleep and I realized instantly that we
were in danger Hastily calling Mrs.
Staley. sought means OF escape
through the rear Of the house, for 1t
was then impossible to take the
chance Of going down stairs, SO far
advanced had the fire already gotten.
Fell on Porch Rail.
upon reaching window at the
rear Of the upstairs, ! saw the fut1lity
Of attempting to jump from there be-
cause there is a basement In the rear
and the height from the ground is too
great1o such leap. Returning hur-
riedly to the front of the house, for
time was short and the fire and smoke
rapidly becoming unbearable, | forced
the window screen out with my
hands and thus made way for Mrs.
Staley and myself to get out on the
roof Of the porch. After we got out
there the blaze and smoke were dense
and my wife jumped to the ground
and was caught in the arms OF MT.
Letson. Thinking that I might save
some clothes, for we were cladin our
sleeping garments only, l returned to
the window 1t was futile to attempt
to enter the house, as was met BY
tongues of flame and clouds Of smoke
that caused me to think of my per.
sonal safety. Going to the edge of the
porch roof Jumped outward and
down. l forgot the distance in leap
-;~k
the porch roof, causing me to fall on
the rail of the porch at point not
protected by the roof. That Is how l
was injured"
Condition Not Dangerous.
The injuries Of Mr.. Staley. while
not Of a dangerous character, are
painful bruise and abrasion on the
lower ribs OF the left side broken,
painful bruise and abrasion on the
head. caused when falling after he
struck the porch rail, for his head fell
against the paved walk as he careen-
ed over the railing Of the porch,
which he struck upon his left side.
His right leg on the outside was also
burned to some extent. Mr.. Staley is
a large man and his contact with
the porch rail when jumping, might
have been even more serious. HIS
condition this morning, notwithstand- /
ing the shock of the accident and ter
rifying awakening from his sleep, is
pretty good, and he assumes an optl-
mistic air, feeling grateful that ne
and Mrs. Staley escaped with their
lives.
Small Fire a Week Ago.
Mrs. Staley is considerably unset
tied. due to the nervous shock of her
escape and the awful awakening to
find her home in flames and jumping
from an upper fioor-the only means
Of escape-but she assists in attend
ing her husband, as he lies on his bed
in the hospital She told the same
story as her husband and related an
instance that occurred something
over a week ago when they discover
ed a slight fire in the basement OF
their home. Then number of burnt
matches were found on the cellar
steps that made it appear as If some
one had attempted an entrance
through the cellar and used the
matches to find their way to the up
per portion of the house. Both are
equally at loss to ascribe any cause
for the fire. Mr.. Staley is travelling
for an Alliance, Ohio, |
Arm, selling store accounting sys-
TENS, and has lived here for the past
three months.
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