The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-09-14
BURNED
TO DEATH
Matt KoboId Met Fearful Death
Near Wahpetoa

Wahpeton, N. D., Sept, IA fire
of Matt Kobold and the destruction OF
four horses occurred on the Fred
Radke farm, three and a half miles
north of Wahpeton, about midnight,
The owner of the farm also narrowly
escaped death in the flames, and had
it not been for the timely arrival of a
neighbor would doubtless have suf-
fered the same fate.
The origin of 1.-THE fire is not
known, and cannot be explained eN-
eept upon the theory of spontaneous
combustion either in the hay or grain
stored in the farm. Mr.. Radke, own
er of the farm and Matt Kobold, who
had only recently entered his employ,
had been sitting on the porch in
for future work until after IL o'clock,
when it was suggested that it was
time to retire.
Kobold first went to the barn to see
that everything was all right before
going to bed, while MIR. Radke and
his wife repaired to their room. Mr..
Radke had retired and Mrs. Radke
was about to do so when her atten-
ton was attracted by flames is
suing from the burning building, and
Mr.. Radke, without taking time to
put on his clothes, rushed to the
scene. Kobold came running out of
the barn as Mr.. Radke arrived, and
both men directed their efforts to
rescuing the nine. valuable horses
tied in their stalls for the night.
The subsequent happenings can
not be accurately chronicIed, for the
reason that Mr.. Radke, after liberat-
ing three horses and driving them
from the zone of danger, was ap-
parently overcome by the smoke and
heat. The last thing he remembers
was of falling down, but whether in
the barn or outside cannot clearly
r%ecollect.
When he recovered consciousness
the flames had made too great head
way to enter the building, although
Mr.. 2adke had by then secured a pail
of water and was just on the verge
of again entering the barn In search
of the doomed man, who had prob
ably already succumbed by that time.
Only the opportune arrival of John
Dietz, a neighboring farmer, who
had been attracted by the blaze and
had run the entire distance of a mile
separating the two places, prevented
the sacrifice of the second life. AS
it was, Mr.. Dietz was compelled to
forcibly restrain the excited and
dazed man from needlessly exposing
himself to the danger.
When the flames had died down
and the debris had cooled sufficiently
to make a search of the ruins the
people who had by hat time gath
cred found the charred remains of
the unfortunate farm hand in one
corner of the building close beside
the carcass of a horse that he had
evidently been trying to lead from
the seething furnace. The body was
burned to a crisp, and could only be
recovered piecemeal.
Matt Kobold was about 35 years
of age and unmarried. He was form
erly employed in Wahpeton by w.
H. Willardt, who conducted a meat
market here. Kobold has a brother
located near Mantador, in Richland
county, who was notified Of the sad
fate of his kinsman, but is not known
to have any other relatives in this
section.
The loss sustained by Mr.. Radke
will be heavy, as besides the four
horses killed in the fire of the
five horses rescued was so badly burn
ed that it is not likely to recover.
Forty tons Of hay were in the loft of
the barn, and 100 bushels of barley
and a like quantity of oaats we're de-
stroyed. Harness and other articles
burned will bring the loss up to a
goodly sum-. Insurance to the amount
of 81, 500 was carried on the barn and
it's contents.