The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-13
VISITING AUN 7 Of
SHERMAN PYLE IS
BURNED To DEATH
AND HOUSE RUINED

s~ ~ - Stht - -
AS the result of II gas explosion at
tho home OF Sherman Pyle. 2O4 g
street southwest at 1920 this morning.
Mrs Ella Pyle. age IS years. of Mount
Vernon, H., died at Hardy Sanitalium
at 225 o'clock this afternoon. She re.
tanned consciousness untll about noon.
Mis-. Pyle arose and was endeayor.
ING to start fire in a gns heater IN
tho room at the time. when the match
was lighted terrific explosion follow.
ed and the Interior OF the house was
instantly wrapped in flames.
Her screams brought Mr.. Pyle to her
assistance and he was severely burned
about the face and hands. Mrs. Sher.
man Pyle was warned by her husband
to hasten from the house and was un.
hurt.
Chief Musgrayes OF the fire depart.
ment, stated that when the department.
| arrived the entire interior Of the build.
ing was in flames and that the con
tents with the exception OF the room
occupied by Mr., and Mrs. Pyle. was "a
( total loss. He stated that gas must
/ have been escaping for some time in
order to fill the house and wondered
/ why the occupants were not awakened
! by the odor OF it,
| Mrs Pyle arrived in Ardmore from
| Illinois but q few days ago 10 spend
/ tho winter. Mr. Pyle, who Is cashier
of the Guaranty state Bank, has been
Il resident Of this city for the past
| three years. moving to Ardmore from
Gainesville, Texas
Andrew j. Culbortson, Associated
| Press operator for The Ardmoreite,
who rooms next door. and who res
cued Mrs. Pyle from the burning
building, gave the following version
OF the affair.
When | entered the front door,
met Sherman Pyle in the living room.
lie had on Il nightshirt and cravenette
topcoat. The house was filled with
smoke. We rushed into the next room
and as we went | shouted and asked
him il everyone was out. He replied,
No. so followed. In the next room
| saw the elderly Mrs Pyle on the
floor, sitting half upright. l asked
/; Sherman again il they were all out,
and he said. No. carry her OUT
picked her up and carried her TO the
, back door Of tho neishbor to The north
White. Carrying her by myself. +
started to lay her on the back steps
and open the door, bur Mrs. White
/ came to the door, and carried her
, into their bedroom and laid her on
the bed All this time she was talk.
ing to me, and her mind was remark
, ably clear.
She said, calmly, I know | will die"
, | loft the room, asked Mrs White
whore the phone was. She directed me
to her dining room and | phoned for
' nr. Cowles. at the Hardy Sanitarium.
Returning to the bedroom, Mrs. Pyle
was looking at her arms and saw That
t she was solid blister. She remarked
; that her face felt hard as marble. Then
= she began to cry as she looked at her
, arms, and covered her up, thinking
- it would quiet her.
t "On going out to see about the fire
Mr.. Jim Gait a neighbor said he feared
: the White house would catch. only u
] few feet, about fifteen, separating them
: l asked him to help me carry Mrs
: Pyle 10 his house, across the street
j north
= we entered the bedroom, and sher
man was there.
lie said to call the ambulance, which
did,
Il asked him IL there was anything
else could do, and he said go to Homer
Hinkles and get him some clothes. /
offered him an extra suit ] had, but
he thought it was too small. l met
Mrs. Homer Hinkle and told her. While
she was after the suit. etc, Homer came
and said he had seen Sherman ami
would take them to him.
There was a crowd around then
> and knowing there was nothing more /
G could do, | came 10 town. | had just
+ finished dressing across the street
n from Pyles, when I heard the explo-
E, sion.
. Mrs. Pyle was clothed In only 4
: nlghtgown, which no doubt accounts for
+, the fact that she was burned so badly
In sending the alarm to the depart
o ment this morning, whoever attempt
q ed 1t made bad job, which caused
some delay. The party broke the glass
at the box, according 10 directions, bul
failed TO pull the switch This was
q noticed few moments later and the
= alarm sent in. this short delay accord
. ing to the fire chief was the cause of
p considerable more damage than would
: have resulted had the alarm been
g prompt
e This is the second tragedy Of the
=, kind that has occurred in this city rs
the result OF escaping gas. A few
- years ago an entire family was so sev'
- erely burned that four Of them died q
=, few hours later.
- MISS LULA COLEMAN DIES
FROM BURNS BY GAS STOVE