Hungry Horse news., 1953-09-04
Fire SnUffs Lives
Of TiIImun Tots
by lBH club

Saddened by the tragic fire tha
took the lives of the three small
Tillman children, two girls and ;
boy, in Great Falls last week.
The mother, Mrs. Leslie Till
man is the former Alene Everett
who grew up in Birch Grove anc
was graduated from Flatheac
county high school. Her parents
Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest Everett live
at Ellensburg, Wash. Mr.. Tillman
is the son of Mrs. Fred Morris OF
the Bad Rock community, formerly
of Columbia Heights.
Great Falls Tribune account of
the tragedy tells of Mr.. Tillman
who works nights at Ryan Mer-
camille Co. in Great Falls, being
asleep.
He was awakened by the smell
of smoke about 10 a. m. He didn't
see the children in the house, so
went outside calling them. Not
finding them he returned and at
tempted to get back in the house,
but the flames and intense heat
kept him out. He was singed in
the attempt.
Meanwhile Mrs. Tillman had left
for her job at Woolworths about
9 a. m.
A member of the Cascade county
Sheriff's Posse, Laurie Loney, was
a neighbor of the Tillmans. He
phoned in the alarm, and rushed
over to the house. He broke a win
dow to see if there was anybody
inside and couldn't see or hear
anybody.
The three little children, Carol
Lee, 3, who was born in White
fish, Oct. %, 1949; Leslie Lynn, 2
and the baby, Betty Lou, 4 months,
were huddled in a closet.
. Firemen believe that even as
the neighbor broke the window
and looked into the house, the
children had probably already suf-
focated.
Cause of the fire has not been
determined Interior was complet-
ely charred and Quilted.
1t was not finally determined |
that the children were in the
house until after the flames had |
been put out and their bodies dis
covered when firemen went into
the ruins. Fear that the children
were inside, however, huShed the
large crowd attracted to the blaze.
The Tillmans had moved into
4I,n 1.ynn1~ 1nfnra tho firn
He formerly worked as produce
manager for Safeway in Great
Falls.
FROM CALIFORNIA
Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Bouldan and
son, Douglas, are visiting Mrs.
Bouldan's parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Robert Leach and other relatives.
The Bouldans have been living at
Oceanside, Calf. He has just COM
pleted two years service with the
marines.
Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Bernard, Jr.,
and family, ST. Regis, spent the
weekend at the home of Louis
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Ber- {
nard.
SQOAhE DANCE
A good representation from
Boots and Calico square dance /
club attended the All leaders
council square dance in Kalispell,
Saturday evening. The dance was '
to raise money to pay the expense c
Of All members who were delegat- t
es to the State All Congress,
c
Louise Wishart went to Eureka, !
Sunday where she will teach the /
first grade. The school employs '
two primary teachers. /
Mr.. and Mrs. T. R. McCroy and C
family moved to Belgrade, Mon
day. Mr.. McCroy was transferred t
to the Bozeman airport several r
weeks ago. :
Robert Graham is putting con- r
crete foundation under his house. N
Mrs. Bernard Metcalf, Mrs.
zackarias and Mrs. Earl Fritz Wis il
ted Mrs. D. F. Schulstad, Sunday t
afternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Howard, Ii
Mr. and Mrs. Ed McMann drove d
@ Spokane Saturday. They visited c
Cd McMann's sister, Gertrude c
shaffer and husband and Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Schmalz. The Schmalz il
amily formerly lived in Birch ic
Grove and LaSalle districts.
The Hobby Handicraft club will p
lold their next meeting, Tuesday N
It the home of Mrs. Betty Van L
Alstine in Whitefish. Mrs. Betty h
Patterson is co-hostess. Q
Birch Grove school board mem
,er's wives cleaned the school p