The Republican journal., 1916-01-13
,CKINl, TRAGEDY IN JACKSON.

waim D. Tasker, Veteran, and his
HE Burned in Their Home. Their
k,rse has a Narrow Escape.
Rsbockinc tragedy occurred in Jackson
2Iv before midnight last Saturday, when
end Mrs Ephraim D. Tasker. aged resi-
d Of the town, living with the formers
sv.ljsri T skier, in the old Tasker home-
! were burned to death in fire which
heveJ the entire set of farm buildings.
FonIy ether perso0 IN the house at the time
7 Miss loHeH Of Monroe. who was acting
n,,rse for the aged couple, both of whom
he iIi. and were confined to their beds in
of the rooms on the first floor. Miss
h. when the fire broke out, was asleep in
sof the upstairs rooms. Being awakened
], les she rushed downstairs only to find
the fire mad gained such headway that en-
H. tn the rooms >elow was cut of. Re-
rng upstairs and hastily putting on some
hes. she pas forced to jump from the win
Tip order to save her own life. Rendered
onscfoua by tne shock and fall, Miss Lowell
nined uudIi-I in the snow near the burn
buildiaE ul,li rescued by neighbors.
b. fire started, it is thought. in the room
sped by Mr, aud Mrs. Tasker. although it
b known lyset.y how it caught, and never
D.
Il r=...-1. s,,, with his ujfe on6 Children
q attending grange installation in the
les three miles from their home, ard the
|iou Ras about to close when someone
be- pls ne hall and informed Mr.. Tasker
Il his home was burning. AT the meeting
was ufus Iasker, another son of the
d mat .na 1ls family. Both rushed to the
to tne- a1rses, and with all possible
eo dr0, u the burning homestead. Upon
Wing -y found the main house consumed,
ei party IIned and flames issuing from
sw iuC4ws If the barn. Miss Lowell was
b. 10 a da5ed condition near the ruins and
taken -g The nearest house half a mile
III where pH Monday she was in a serious
d i.n. u1iug tp the shock and exposure.
d the barn we're IA head Of cattIa, three
nes flrr a. rools, and large quantity of
p and Ia, Attempts were made to gain
'Buce 10 the Guiding TO liberate the stock
was t5und 10 be impossible, however, and
b u-eesssry to let the building burn itself
rt distance away is located garage
} 0romobile and several wagons were
I4ese were taken out and hauled a
&c away, into field.
after the embers had cooled, at
-= made to locate Mr.. and Mrs. Tas-
--'.7s. Ia the vicinity Of the room oc-
Is Mr.. and Mrs. Tasker were found
i S. believed to be those of the latter,
b. lace vi Mr. Tasker's body could be dis
b. urther search was b=ing made on
ca, 4owever, with the hope that few of
a=s ers ashes, at least, could be gathered
lia5l-y night was very cold, the thermome-
tsl w more degrees below zero, and had
/ Lowell been able to remove the aged cou-
from The room, it is doubtful if they could
+ survived the exposure, as both were able
'eif themselves very little and the nearest
|0oor ives half mile down the road in the
'cron Of the village.
2 and Mrs. Tasker had lived in Jackson
euealiF all Of their lives, and were highly
pecle1 and the tragic death is Creat shock
Ae community. Mr.. Tasker was one of the
SAo"n farmers in Waldo county, but for
last TOUR or five years, on account of the
mites of old age, had given over the
lag-ment of the farm to his son William.
e was veteran of the Civil war, having
'ea throughout the war in the Fourth
lie Regiment. and spent several months
'9'h Libby and Andersonville prisons, He
member of the local Masonic body, and
syS took an active interest in the affairs of
lodge. He was born in Dixmont and was
Ut 70 years of age. He was twice married,
wing are four sons and two daughters by
afst marriage: William Y, with whom he
Rufus L.. of Dixmont, Albert of Ply
th, Waverly of Tombstone, Arizona, Mrs.
Hall of Brooks and Mrs. F. L. o. Hussey
old Town. He also leaves a sister. Mrs.
tie Pooler of Belfast, ,and Two brothers.
le Iasker homestead was valued at about
W. There was an insurance of $500 on the
iings.