The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-07-30
Very Tragic Death
OF w. w. Frost
From Mondays Daily.


BY most unfortunate and distress
ing accident. William W. Frost pro-
fessor of English literature at the
state normal school, met sudden
and untimely death about noon yes
terday in his home at 3l5 Ramsey
street The instructor was killed by
electric shock. while heating the
wafer in bath tub with electrical
apparatus.
Just how the accident occurred. no
one will ever know TO a certainty.
The porcelain covering of the heater
was broken when found in the tub. IL
is believed that the professor dropped
the apparatus into the tub in some
way. breaking the covering The re
suit was that the full charge of 10
volts went through his body. He fell.
while standing in the tub. and in his
fall struck the right side of his jaw
against the metallic soap dish that
stood over the faucets This cut an
ugly gouge and produced blue mark
on the neck. But. according to the
opinion OF Coroner \. G.. Liedlon. il
was the electric shock that caused
death.
Professor Frost had gone to the
room to battle Mrs. Frost noticed
that he did not reappear as soon as
she expected and she went to the
door and called to him. There was
70 answer Then she became alarm
ed and said if he did not answer. she
would have to cell on the ncighbors
for help. still there was no sound
from the room Mrs. Frost thereup-
az, gcn,t,,,tr, ica Cd al tho
family of Or John T. Hancock. next
door
DR. Hancock son. Charles. obtain
ed a ladder. aud placed that up to
the bathroom window on the outside
of the house Winfield Smith. young
man living across the street. came
over To see what the trouble was and
undertook TO enter The bathroom from
the ladder. lie went NJ with screw
driver. but could not get the screen
off. But ne saw the PROSTATE body
lying in the tub. with the head over
the faucets.
Then Charles Hancock wen; up TO
the window with a sickle and cut the
screen He then opened the window.
entered the room and unlocked the
door on the inside
DR. George r Curran was summon
ed. but il was soon found that the
victim was dead The body was re-
moved 10 the Morris undertaking
rooms. where an autopsy was held by
Coroner Liedloff. with the assistance
OF DR. Curran and Or. C. \. Dahl The
heart was in a contracted condition.
indicating S1aSm. II was determined
hN hn oil ri
shock There was no fracture of the
skull. no breaking of the neck nor
anything else to Indicate that the
blow on the head had killed the vic
tim
Professor Frost's sudden death cut
short brilliant life. whose work was
far from completed He was but for
ty-onc years OF age. and il was ex-
peCted that he would serve the COM
munity as an educator for many
years to come. lie was in excellent
health and SUNDAY morning his spirits
could not have been better
His death is terrible shock to his
family He leaves wife and two
children. Dwight Frost. aged sixteen.
who has just graduated from the
high school and Winnifred Frost. aged
ten. Professor Frost had been con
templatinG a trip to Long Beach. CALI
to see his mother. Mrs 4. p. Frost.
and his sister. Miss Adelaide Gail
Frost He has also an aunt in Cali
fornia, Mrs. Ida Meyer. living at
Riverside. his mothers sister.
Rev. and Mrs A. F. Frost were
missionaries of the Christian church.
Their son. William W. Frost was
born at Jacksonville. Ohio. on Febru-
airy 10. 1874 His parents moved to
Minnesota and took up missionary
work here. when he was but nine
months old Nine years later they
went back to Ohio Here Rev. Frost
had the pastorate of the Christian
church al Hiram. The son attended
Hiram college and graduated from
that institution in 1896
Two years later. William ". Frost
was married at Akron. Ohio. to Miss
Bessie Cradle. The young husband
afterwards attended the University
OF Chicago, where he took his mas
ters degree in 1900 He afterwards
taught English literature at the John
b. Stetson college at Deland Flor
ida. This was his occupation up to
six years ago. when he obtained his
position to teach the same subject in
the Mankato normal school.
After he made his home in Man
kato. his parents also moved here
His father. Rev. \. p. Frost died in
this city three years ago
During his sojourn i'm Mankato.
Professor Frost made quite a name
for himself as an educator. not only
locally. but among the leading men
OF many institutions of learning. and
he received quite a number of offers
OF positions in colleges
Mrs. E. NJ. Cradle OF Minneapolis
niece of Mrs William w Frost was
visiting at the Frost home, when the
tragedy occurred.
Many friends and neighbors called
at the residence yesterday to render
the stricken family any assistance
that was possible.
The funeral will be held "Wednesday
afternoon from the house at 2:3(
o'clock