Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-06


face of Their Bodies
Mrs. Gust johnson, 300 West
Nevada street, burned early today
in an explosion of gasoene,
while she was attempting to start
fire In the kitchen stove, died
at about noon today.
Mr.. Johnson, who was burned
attempting to save his wife,
passed away az 1:45 this after
noon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gust L. Johnson, 500
West Nevada street probably were
fatally burned at 1880 this morning
when q can of gasolene. believed to
have been used by mistake by Mrs.
johnson In starting a fire in the
wash shed at the rear Of their home
exploded, hurting burning oil over
Mrs. Johnson's clothing. Mr.. john
son. who was able to tell only dis
connectedly OF the accident said he
had gone to rescue his wife and had
been burned in attempting to save
her from the flames.
Because of the condition Of both
victims OF the fire. making it inn
possible for them to tell q connected
story. the details Of the accident are
not known. Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson
were found in the back yard OF their
home near the wash shed by Mrs.
John A. Mold. 307 South Eighth
street, a neighbour. their clothing al
most burned from their bodies. Mrs
Mold summoned help and the injured
couple we're carried into the house.
Two physicians were summoned and
the fire department was called.
The first examination by the doc
tors revealed burns which are ex-
rected to result in death. Mrs. john
sons injuries are the most severe.
Both Frishtfully Burned.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were
burned on practically the entire sur
face Of their bodies, but both were
conscious when Drs. G. M. johnson
and NJ. U. Chesire reached the house.
The victims faces and hair were
burned. blackened or blistered. One
small spot on Mr. Johnson's back and
the soles of his feet were the only
parts Of his body that were not
burned. Difficulty was found in find
ing an unburned spot on Mrs. John
sons body large enough to inject a
hypodermic.
A few hours after the accident DR..
l.
tainty whether one or both had in
hailed flames or smoke and the depth
OF the burns could not fully be de-
termined at that time. 1t was DR..
Johnson's opinion that probably both
were fatally injured because of the
| very extensive burns and their prob
able depth.
Used 0asolene BY Mistake.
Judging by what neighbors know
and what Mr.. johnson said, it is be-
lieved that Mrs. Johnson, intending
to start q hasty fire In the cock
stove in the wash room, poured
gasolene onto the fire, installing the
can for the kerosene container. The
can was found by the firemen, the
bottom blown out and the spout
blown off.
i The explosion attracted tho atten-
ton Of the husband, who :. believed
not to have been in the wash shed
at the time. He rushed to his wife's
assistance, found her wrapped In
flames. and heroically sacrificed
himself in an effort to save her life
Struggle il Flames.
The tragedy that was enacted in
the unselfish struggle of Mr.-John-
son to save his wife, or how long 1t
continued, altho probably Of brief iu-
ration. Is not known, as there seems
to have been no eye witnesses. Ger
tain 1t is that Johnson rushed into
the shed. that must have been filled
with flames and smoke In which Mrs.
Johnson was wrapped in fire, and
dragged her out. Either at that In
slant, or probably later, and the
former conjecture is the most plaus-
ible, the heat and flames were SO in
tense that the husbands clothing
caught fire.
Staggering, fighting fire on his
wires and his own clothing at the
| same time, he was, nevertheless able
to drag Mrs. Johnson from the shed
that had become a fiery furnace.
But he was able to go only a short
distance. for the bodies were found
very close to the building. It is
doubtful If Mrs. johnson had
strength to stand after her husband
rescued her and it seems probable
that both sank, fighting the fire on
their burning clothing until over
come, burned and utterly exhausted
where Mrs. Mold found them.
Fire Does Little Damage.
The fire was quickly extinguished
by the department with the use of
the contents Of small chemical tank
before any serious damage to the
home was done. The flames had
leaped from the stove up the side
walls of the structure to the ceiling,
and had lrned thru the shingles at
one place.
The probably fatal injuries Of Mr.
and Mrs. Johnson follow closely on
the death of their daughter, Miss
Mabel Johnson, who died at the
family home Aug. 81.
Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson are about 60
years Of age. The former has been
employed as a foreman in the M. &
st. L. shops. They have two sons and
a daughter, all living here. They are
Harry w. and Oscar G. Johnson and
Mrs. William Kirchberger.