Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-11
KvALE REPORTED
BURNED TO DEATH
Charred Body Found in Ruins
of Cottage in Which Rep
resentative Was Alone.
BY the Associated Press.


BATTLE LAKE, Mimi, September IL.
Representative C. j. Kvale, from the
seventh Minnesota district, was believed
to have been burned to death last night
in fire which destroyed his Summer
cottage, at Otter Tail Lake, north of
here.
A body found in the ruins of the cot
tage was said to be that of the Repre-
sentative by Coroner j. vigen, although
it was so badly charred that definite
Identification was impossible at the time.
Coroner Vigen, said, however. he was
certain the body was that of Mr.. Kvale,
who, neighbors said, was alone in the
cottage last night
The coroner planned to remove the
body to Fergus Falls at once. The
ruins of the colt ge were discovered
this morning by eighbor, who talked
with Mr. Kvale last night and was told
to return today to fix a fence.
Lamp and Stove in House.
Coroner Vigen said the body was
found near the ruins of cot A gaso-
line lamp and stove had been in use
In the cottage. he said, and expressed
the belief that one of them may have
been responsible for the fire.
The Kvale cottage, called Trails
End" is in a lonely region % miles
northeast of Fergus Falls and ii miles
from Battle Lake. There are several
ohsE S9ttages g . I, tae me Sss es
saw nothing during the night to indi-
cate there was fire. -
At Mr.. Kvale's home. in Benson 1t
was said he left there Sunday. He had
Joined other Minnesota Representatives
in an outing. Monday night he talked
with three sons, Walter, Robert and
Arthur, before they departed for Chi
cago to visit another brother, Alfred.
Received M. A. at Chicago.
Born on farm near Decorah, Iowa.
Mr. Kvale attended rural schools and
later was graduated from Luther Col
lege, Decorah. Subsequently he OBJ
tanned a G. T. degree from the Luther
Theological Seminary and later received
master of arts degree at Chicago
University.
He was ordained in the ministry
and served at pastorates at Orford-
vile, Wis, and at Benson, Mimi, until
member of the board of education,
Norwegian Lutheran Church of Amer
lea, and constantly took an active part
in church affairs.
He was nominated as a Progressive
Republican candidate for Congress in
the primary election of 1920, defeating
A. j. Volstead. Subsequently, his name
was removed from the Republican ticket
by a court order and that of Mr.. Vol
stead substituted. Later, running as
an independent in the election in 1920,
he was defeated in the Harding land
slide by 1900 votes.
In 1922, he defeated Mr.. Volstead by
$4,000 votes and was reelected to the
Sixty-ninth, Seventieth and Seventy
first Congresses with Farmer-Labor and
Democratic Endorsements. His majority
in the 1928 election over his Republican
opponent was 28,284 votes.
He was married to Miss Ida T. Sim
ley of Mayville, N. Oak. The latter died
in 1926. He leaves seven children-SiX
sons and a daughter.
Upon his election to the House Mr..
Kvale severely denounced the Volstead
act as farce" on a speech from the
floor, rs remarks causing sensation
both in the House and Senate.
Paul Kvale, the Minnesota Repre-
sentative'S son and secretary, is the
only member of the family in Washing
ton. He received the first word of the
reported tragic death of his father when
Star reported telephoned to Mr..
Kvale's Office, in the House Off1ce Build
ing, about / o'clock today. He imme-
diately took steps to learn the details by
telegraph.