The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-07-17
CHILDREN PERISH
AND FATHER ALSO
May DIE OF BURNS
Fifth Child Suffers Lesser In.
juries as Flames Destroy
Farm Home
MOTHER, ONE SON ESCAPE
Four-Year-oId Daughter u Hos.
pitaI Patient But Is Expect
ed to Survive
MOTHER, ONE SON ESCAPE

ed to Survive
Minot, N. D., July 17.-(AP)
-Four children persisted, their
father, Frank J. Liebel, SO, was
critically burned, and a fifth
child suffered lesser burns in a
fire which destroyed their farm
home near Raub shortly before
midnight.
Mrs. Liebel and the youngest
member of the family, a three
year-old son, escaped min.
jured.
Liebel Is q patient In a Minct hos
pltal, his recovery in doubt, Accord
ing to the report OF the attending
physician. His hands, arms, a back
appear to be most severely scared hit
there are also burns about his face
and head and on his legs and chest.
Josephine. aged four. who also Is a
hospital patient here, has burns on
ner race, hands, arms, and feet but
ner condition Is not considered seri-
Gus.
Oldest Victim Wa II
The child victims Of the fra mar.
Florence, IL; Margie, 8: Leonard =
ana Dolores, 6. After having been
reused from their beds In an upstairs
room, the children had reached the
ground floor and were only q few feet
from the outside kitchen door when
n floor collapsed beneath them. THE
ire started In the kitchen and evil
gently had spread rapidly under the
flooring.
The mother, who had rousad III
children and who herself had reached
the door with Jean, aged 8. In her
arms, stood helpless outside Is She
heard the screams of the four older
children falling to their death amid
the burning debris in the cellar.
After having suffered painful IN
Jur1es In an attempt to fight the
flames, Mr.. Liebel went upstairs and
rescued Josephine. Forcing open a
window, with the four-year-old in his
arms, the father fell to the ground
outside the house.
Raub Is IN Mclean county, approxi-
mately rs miles southwest Of Minot.
After his escape with the child,
finding his wife and young son safe,
Liebel got into his automobile with
the remaining members Of the family
and drove them to the home Of q
neighbor, Jacob Mol, one-quarter of
a mile away.
Clad in Night Clothes
The escaping members OF the fam
lily were clad only In their night
| clothes.
Liebel's garment was burned to
rags and his feet and hands were
bleeding as he drove to the Mol
home.
Medical aid for the injured man
and child was summoned from Gar
rtson, and Raub residents, including
a brother Of Liebel, who operates a
restaurant in the village, were in
formed Of the fire by telephone
shortly after midnight.
Retaining consciousness in spite of
his painful injuries. Liebel told the
story OF his experiences In the fire to
his brother. George, after the latter
reached the Mol home. A few hours
later. accompanied by George and a
physician from Garrison, Liebel was
entered at q hospital here,
The fire was burning about the
kitchen stove when Liebel was awak-
ened by smoke, he told his brother.
Rousing other members Of the family,
Liebel turned his efforts toward COM
batting the flames, which did not ap-
pear to him to have reached danger
Gus proportions.
Realized Plight
At the moment the children, al ex-
cept Josephine. came downstairs. Lie
bel suddenly realized that the house
was being consumed and he dashed
for the stairway to save her.
As he started up the stairs, the
flames followed hot upon him. he
said.
Meanwhile, he was not fully aware
Of the tragedy Of the fallen floor.
which the mother witnessed In its
tragic horror.
There were only srnouldering ruins
Of the Liebel home Friday. An effort
was being made by Mclean county
authorities to recover the bodies OF
the children from the burned wreck
age. The farm Is one mile west and
q quarter OF q mile south OF RAub.
Mr.. Elizabeth Liebel Of Underwood,
mother OF Liehel and grandmother of
the children, ~ among the grief
stricken kin who auxiously awaited
reports from the hospital Friday
morning.
Besides his mother, Liebei has four
brothers and three sisters, several Of
whom were In Mlnot Friday. They
are: Walter Of Caxpto, Charles Of
Foxholm. ernest az Underwood.
George Of RAub. Ron Liebel and Mrs.
Alvin Sailor Of Underwood. and Nh.
walter Pease Of oaxT1oon.
The Frank liebel family has lived
near Raub since 1915. when the Fort
BerthOld reservation WAs openo1 -
settlor& Lebel homegtoade6 thogA.
Carpio y Tia FORMER hocne 9 H.