The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-04-10
Drank Sap From Tree
Death Soon Followed
From Tuesdays caiiy.

'"fat 10 b@E .r.
From Tuesdays Caiiy.
Nlne-year-old {, Claytus Krost, son
of Mr.. and Mrs.S Peter Krost, $50
Carroll avenue, died in his mothers
arms, while undergoing bath at
his home early today, victim,
physicians believe, of poison con-
tanned in the sap OF boxelder or
elm trees, says the st. Paul Dis.
patch.
The boy was seized with violent
pains in the stomach, early Sunday
morning, eight hours after he had
collected and drunk quart of sap
from group of trees. standing in
an empty lot at Kent street and
Carroll avenue. The pains did not
subside, and later I'm the day, the
family called DIR. SohmerA of Man
kato, who, however; was unable def
initely to diagnose the case. Police
Surgeon ;Schnacke was called TO
the house at 10 A. NJ. today, but
the boy expired a. few minutes be-
fore the surgeon arrived. =
Members of the family said, that
the child was in perfect health be.
fore his sap-collecting expedition on
Saturday. y
IL an autopsy reveals that his
death was due to the tree sap, Cor
oner Jones said. steps would be TAX
en- to warn other boys.
Young Krost attended the McKin-
ley school, His father conducts a
merchandise store at $50 Rondo
street. The family moved to st.
Paul from Mankato a month ago.
Clatus the eleven year old son
of Peter oKrostf Of: st. Paul, died
yesterday morning his home. His
death tame after little more than
day's illness and last night the
cause OF death had mot been deter.
mined! AS was stated in last nights
issue of the Free Press there was
some Doubt as to whether he had
been poisoned by eating sap from
'Nhiehehen thought were maple
trees, aor" whether he had a develop
ed scarlet fever suddenly.
Mrs! George Krost went to st.
Paul yesterday. and Mr.. George
Krost, John Krost and Mrs. Theresa
Borgmeier will all go TO st. Paul
ThursdaS.o when the funeral will be
held. Mrs. Morrill, OF Portland, Ore
gon, ans aunt of'lthe little boy, is
expectedoto arrive in time for the
funeralsJs 'fr ~ b.. -&
The Pioneer Press says: The ma
pie trees on a vacant lot at Kent
street and Carroll avenue gave up
their say yesterday afternoon Just
as they have been doing for the last
week. There were no milk bottles
or tin cans, however, to receive the
liquid as II dripped from the trees
through crude drains.
Boys of the neighborhood had de.
serted the place as a playground.
Claytus Krost. nine years old, their
playmate, =. whose, parents live at
366 Carroll avenue, died In the morn.
ing. Physicians. who attended the
lad think that, maple sap may have
been responsible, 20.
II has not been definitely decided
what killed Claytus He drank near.
ly quart OF the sap Saturday and
was taken lit suddenly Sunday morn
Ing. DIR! w. r. Mccarthy. deputy
coroner said that the sap, poison
In the receptacle from which the boy
drank the sap, collie or scarlet fever
may have caused death.
The boys started gathering sap
last week when It made its spring.
time appearance through abrasions
in the bark OF the trees. There are
about twelve treesplanted on the
lot. Each tree was married with
nails driven with rocks in the hands
OF the youngsters. Drippers were
fashioned from twigs. Short ones
we're split lengthwise and the pith
scraped out. They were then in.
serted In the nail holes.
Bottles were passed from hand
to hand and lip to lip among a
crowd Of anxious walters. The Krost
boy got milk bottle from his faith
er's store, $50 Rondo street. He
hurried back to the trees and placed
his bottle in position with the 9th.
ers. Companions say he drank from
several bottles. -. !
Il don't want any more SAP
Thomas Barry, $50 Carroll avenue,
said yesterday afternoon. Other
playmates of Claytus are Francis
o'Connor. 52l Carroll avenue; Har.
old Ochsner, Kenneth wolton, Clark
and Kenneth Galloway, George segal,
Freeman Johnson, Henry Neissen,
all OF whom live on Carroll avenue
or Rondo street near Kent.
1y
Diamond Has Filed.
II. ID. Diamond today filed for
county commissioner. Mr.. Diamond
has been a resident of Mankato
and vicinity for the past forty-six
years.