Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-11-10
WIFE BURNED IN
OIL EXPLOSION
Mrs. W. J. De Vries Fatally Burn
ed AT Home in Ho!-

Mrs Hielkje De Nries, wife of Com
Eiissioner-elect w. J. De Vries, was
fatally burned in an oil explosion last
Friday noon. at her home a quarter
Of a mile north Of Prinsburg, from
which injuries she died Saturday NOR
ming, Nov. 6. Mrs. De Vries was light
ing a fire in the stove, pouring oil on
the fuel, when the explosion took
place. The kerosene oil can was blown
to pieces and the windows in the
room were blown out by the force of
the explosion. Whether the oil ig-
. llted from fire in the ashes or the
unfortunate woman lit it with a match
is not known. The only person near
was the daughter, Winnie, thirteen
years old, and she did not see just
what happened.
Mrs. De Vries suffered terrible
burns. DR.. A. F. Branton was called
and took the burned woman to the
Willmar Hospital. where everything
possible was done to relieve the
pains. She passed away at $3.50 a. m.
Coroner's Inquest
A coroners inquest was held on
Monday morning at the Peterson Un-
dertaking rooms under the direction
of Coroner j. C. Jacobs with County
Attorney Johnson attending. The
following were sworn as jurors: E.
l.. Rodegeb, F. G. Handy, D. A. Peter.
son, Lewis Johnson, E. P. Bjornberg
and Jens P. Jensen. The jury, after
hearing the evidence, concluded that
the death was caused by being fatal
ly burned by reason of explosion of
kerosene poured out Of can into stove,
and that the kerosene contained
high per cent Of gasoline.
The main witness was Earl Starr,
state oil Inspector. He testified that
kerosene should not flash under 100
degrees Fahrenheit nor fire under 12O
degrees. The sample submitted
flashed at 64 and fired at '94, indicat-
ing that it contained about five per
cent gasoline.
red Heart had supplied De Vries as
well as others in the neighborhood
with the oil. The oil man at once
went back over his route and collect
ed all the oil he had sold from that
tank.
Born in Netherlands
Hielkje Hoekstra De Vries was
born Dec. 25, 1873, at Paesens, in the
Province of Friesland in Neither
lands. She came to this country at
the age OF 10 with her parents. She
lived eight years on farm near Cla-
ra City, ten years on farm in Hol-
land Twp, seven and half years. at
Roseland, when her husband con-
Quoted the store there, and during the
last year and half near Prinsburg,
where the sad tragedy occurred
The deceased was married to w. J.
De Vries in 1894. He is left to bit
terly mourn this sudden loss of low
ing wife together with eight chill
dren, who are John w. De Vries of
Prinsburg, Mrs. Johanna Damhof of
McGrath, Mimi; Anna, Ida, Richard,
Winnie, William, and Henry De Vries
all residing at home. She is also
mourned by her widowed mother, Mrs
Willie Hoekstra of Roseland, four
brothers, Klaes, Henry, Toppe and
John Hoekstra, and three sisters, Mrs.
<. Douma of Roseland, Mrs Gust.
Liepitz of Pease, Minn.; and Mrs.
Harry Plowman, of McGrath, Minn;
md a large number Of other relatives
;ome living in the old country
Funeral services were held at the
Christian Reformed church at Prins-
,urg, on Tuesday, Rev. ]. De Jouge
officiating. Sympathizing friends
brought floral tributes. The pail
bearers were Messrs. Henry Weber
1ink John Wieberdink, Louis Meyer,
Fred Markus, William Damhof and
isaac Gort. The interment took place
the Prinsburg cemetery.
Among those who came from a dis