Submitted by
Loyd Bishop

DEATH IN FLAMES
Arthur Yoakum and Arthur Horstley Meet Death
A STOVE EXPLOSION
Results in Death and Destruction

From Wednesday’s Daily

The dead body of Arthur Horstley fourteen years old burned to a crisp lies at Fyffe’s undertaking establishment, and Arthur Yoakum so fearfully burned that life is despaired of lies at Dr. Steagall’s Sanitarium. The cause of the tragedy as far as can be learned, was as follows: Arthur Yoakum was the proprietor of what was known as the Blue Front restaurant on South Main Street. This morning about six o’clock he got up to light the fire in his cooking stove to get breakfast. The stove was in the rear room or kitchen, of the place, and both of the boys, it seems, were sleeping there. Arthur Yoakum put some paper in the stove, piled a lot of kindling wood on the paper, put some coal on the top of the wood and then poured kerosene on the coal. He put the lids on the stove, touched a match to the ignitable mass. In an instant there was a terrific explosion.
Night Watchman Arnold was standing at the corner of Blackwell Avenue and Main Street and heard the report and saw the flame burst out at the door. He at once ran to the restaurant, broke the door open, and ran into the place that was then enveloped in flames. He found Arthur Yoakum, the proprietor, lying at the east end of the counter, and terribly burned. Arnold dragged him to the front door, and out on the street, and assisted by one of Charley Baker’s men, turned in an alarm. The fire department turned out promptly, and soon had the flames extinguished. Yoakum was helped to the hospital his tracks marked with blood. Dr’s Steagall and Lowery attended him.
In the meantime the alarm had spread and George W. Horstely, the father of the boy, hurried to the place and rushed in and dragged the lifeless body of his boy out, and carried him in his arms to Kyger’s undertaking establishment. The body was burned beyond recognition.
Mr. Arnold deserves credit for the bravery and promptness with which he acted, though it was impossible for him to get into the kitchen and save the boy, for the flames were such that no one could have lived in them a moment. The fire department did good work and deserves credit for extinguishing the fire as promptly as they did.
Marshall Lund telegraphed the news of the catastrophe to Yoakum’s parents, who live at Cowgill, Missouri. The damage to the building where the fire occurred is about $150.
Arthur Yoakum died at one o’clock this afternoon, just seven hours after the horrible accident. About fifteen minutes before he died he turned to George Horstley and asked to be buried beside Arthur Horstley. He was conscious up to within ten minutes of his death.

BURNED TO DEATH.

The most distressing accident in the history of the city occurred Wednesday morning of this week, and as a result of it two of our boys are dead and two families are in mourning. Arthur Yoacum, one of our well-known young men had recently taken charge of the restaurant and lunch counter just south of the White Elephant saloon and had as his assistant Arthur Horsely, a boy about 14 years of age. At about 5:30 Dad Arnold, the night watch, went to the place of business to awaken Mr. Yoacum and five or ten minutes later, while standing on the corner of Main and Blackwell avenue was startled by a heavy report and a moment later saw a light as from a fire in that direction, and in company with another man ran down that way. They found Yoacum’s place on fire and Mr. Arnold called to him to let him in, the door being locked; receiving no response he broke down the door and groped his way towards the kitchen and at the end of the counter stumbled over the body of Mr. Yoacum, he called for help and was assisted in carrying him out to the pavement. Mr. Yoacum revived and told the watchman that the Horsely boy was in the kitchen near the back door and Mr. Arnold started to go after him but was restrained, as the room was then a mass of flames. The fire bell was then rung by Mr. Arnold and the department responding promptly soon had the fire under control, after which Arthur Horsely was found by his father near the bed they had occupied in the kitchen, life extinct and burned beyond recognition. The boy was not fully dressed and Mr.Yoacum had on only a shirt and drawers. Mr. Yoacum was able to walk and did walk quite a distance but was early conveyed to Dr. Steagall’s sanitarium and physicians hastily summoned. An examination showed that he could only live a few hours and he was apprised of his condition. He was conscious of his surroundings but not of pain, as the burns were so deep that all sensory nerves were destroyed. He asked that his folks in Missouri be notified and was we understand conscious to the end, which occurred shortly after noon. His version of the accident was that he had poured some coal out on to a sugar sack with which to kindle a fire, that it spread to a pan of grease on the stove and then to the oil can on the floor, the latter exploding scattering the flames everywhere. He tried to get the boy out the back door but in his excitement must have been unable to find the door and dropped him and tried to get out the front way, but fell unconscious near the doorway leading out of the kitchen where he was found by Mr. Arnold as related above. It happened so suddenly that he probably did not know just what he did do, but his version is all that will ever be known and all else is conjecture. Mr. Yoacum’s parents live in Missouri and he was making preparations to close out his business here and return home. Arthur Horsely is the third son of George Horsely and was a bright and industrious boy with a host of friends. The entire community is shocked over the deplorable accident and sincerely sympathize with the bereaved families.