News Items from The Kansas City Journal ~ Old News That's New to You from Vintage Kansas City.com

July 9, 1909

ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE FOURTH.

Victor Whiteman, 8, Dies From

Burn of Firecrackers.

Another name was added to the list of Fourth of July victims yesterday, when death overtook Victor Whiteman, 8 years old, at the general hospital. He died from severe burns about the body.

Victor was burned last Monday while playing near the home of his widowed mother, Mrs. Alice Whiteman, 4315 East Fifteenth street. He was carrying a number of firecrackers in his trousers pockets, and in a manner not explained they were set off, severely burning his leg.

The boy, in a semi-conscious condition, was carried to the office of Dr. T. T. Sawyer at Fifteenth and Spruce streets, and later transferred to the general hospital. No funeral arrangements have been made.

Labels: accident, chidren, death, doctors, Fifteenth street, fireworks, Spruce avenue

July 1, 1909

BOY KILLED IN ELEVATOR.

Lifeless Body Plunged Down Long

Building Shaft Eleven Stories.

Lew Reid, 12 years old, of 1819 North Eighth street, Kansas City, Kas., was crushed to death by an ascending elevator in the R. A. Long building yesterday at noon. A sudden jerk of the car threw the boy forward. As he grasped the iron grill work of the elevator enclosure the swiftly ascending car caught him. The lifeless body fell eleven stories to the basement.

The boy entered the car on the basement floor in company with Otto Nelson, a messenger boy. They were the only passengers. The car was operated by John Livingston, 23 years old, 1101 East Sixteenth street, who has been employed in that capacity in the Long building nearly two years.

According to the story told by the elevator operator, only one stop was made before the accident occurred, and that was at the main floor. At the tenth floor Livingston noticed that he was ahead of his schedule, and threw the lever over to slow up, thereby causing the jerk which threw the boy forward to his death.

Livingston said he endeavored to put the boy back, and also stopped his car as soon as possible. The Nelson boy corroborated the operator's story.

Hughes Bryant, agent for the building, notified all of the employes not to talk about the accident. He also explained the accident by saying the boy either fainted or fell forward against the door without being thrown by the jar of the elevator.

Labels: accident, chidren, death, elevators, Kansas City Kas, R A Long building, Sixteenth street

April 28, 1909

CHILD FELL INTO CISTERN.

Four-Year-Old Daughter of Frank P.

Logan Is Rescued by Carpen-

ter's Prompt Action.

The timely action of Charles F. Durst, a carpenter working across the street at Thirty-sixth street and Kenwood avenue about 11 o'clock yesterday morning, saved the life of Emily Logan, t he 4-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Logan, 3524 Kenwood. Little Emily had fallen into a sixteen-foot cistern, at the bottom of which was about 3 feet of water.

The little girl was playing about the yard with Frank P. Logan, Jr., her 6-year-old brother, and Suzanna McKinney, 5 years old, who lives close by. Emily went too close to the mouth of the cistern to peep in, and, losing her balance, fell in. Her brother and little Suzanna ran screaming from the yard. Durst, who was working just across the street, inquired the cause and the excited little ones were barely able to tell him that the little girl was at the bottom of the cistern. Grabbing his ladder he ran to the cistern and was soon at the bottom. The baby was struggling to keep her head above water when Durst reached her.

The daughters of Dr. E. Lee Harrison, across the street from where the accident occurred, was a witness to it. She notified her father and he at once hurried to the Logan home.

"Emily is doing nicely," said Mr. Logan last night, "and we hope for no bad results from the accident. The fact that there was a small amount of water in the cistern no doubt saved her life as, had it been empty, she might have been dashed to death."

Mr. Logan is a member of the grain firm, Holdridge & Logan, 343 Board of Trade building. He was called away from the exchange at the time of the accident.

Labels: accident, chidren

January 10, 1909

FALLS INTO BOILING WATER.

Little Harry Shoemaker May Have

Received Fatal Injuries.

Harry Shoemaker, 3 years old, infant son of Mrs. J. A. Shoemaker, 2033 East Eighteenth street, fell into a tub of boiling water yesterday morning and was badly scalded. The mother heard the child's cries and plunged her hands into the water and pulled the boy out. The child was taken to the general hospital, where it is in a serious condition. Mrs. Shoemaker had both hands badly burned.

Labels: accident, chidren, Eighteenth street

March 4, 1908

CLYDE TURNER IS

HOME AGAIN.

After Attacking Grandmother With

an Ax He Ran Away.

Clyde Turner has been returned to the home of his uncle, George Pack, in Eden park, a suburb of Independence. The boy has run away several times. This time he got as far as Lexington

Because of his queer actions two months ago several doctors performed an operation on him for abnormal development. The operation did not help the boy Yesterday Mr. Pack stated that the boy was liable to do anything at any time and he expected to send him to an asylum for the feeble minded. It is possible that the matter will be brought to the attention of the county court today.

Last Saturday the boy attacked his grandmother with an ax. Neighbors interfered and saved her from injury, and Clyde then ran away.

Labels: chidren, children, Independence, Lexington, mental health