Lehigh Valley Argus
February 15, 1907
Page 4

HORRIBLE DEATH BY GASOLINE
Mrs. Harper-Endberg Was Frightfully Burned Monday And Died Next Day

FUNERAL TOOK PLACE WEDNESDAY

While cleaning the stove with gasoline Monday morning, Mrs. Laura E. Endberg was frightfully burned from which injuries she passed away early the next day. This is the story of the fate of another who has been added to the long list of victims of that dangerous fluid, gasoline, without any of the sickening details.
Mrs. Endberg arose as usual Monday morning and her husband and second son, Beldon had left the house for their work in the mines. After the men had left for their work Mrs. Endberg went about the usual morning house work. She was cleaning the range and finding a nickle on the warming oven tarnished went to an outside kitchen and poured out about a quart of gasoline into a fruit jar. This she took into the house and set it down on the floor beside the stove. She had a good sized piece of cloth which she saturated with the gasoline and was cleaning the bright parts of the warming oven on the range. Some of the fluid dropped to the hot stove below and in an instant the cloth in her hand was on fire. It appeared that she endeavored to throw the burning cloth away but the blaze came in contact with the gasoline in the jar on the floor and an explosion followed, throwing the oil and fire in all directions. Her dress caught on fire and she screamed for help. Her youngest son, Gaius, was upstairs in bed when he heard his mother's cries for help and rushed to her side. When first seen by him she was endeavoring to smother the flames with a rug which she had taken from the floor. The boy tore the burning clothing from his mother and rushing out the door cried for help. Theo Townsend was the first to reach the place and after putting out the fire which had started in several parts of the room, summoned Dr. Evans, who came to care for the injured woman.
From the first examination Dr. Evans gave no hopes for her recovery. Her clothing was entirely burned from her body above the waist and her flesh was parched. Her ears and lips were burned to a crisp and during her cries for help she had enhaled the fire into her lungs. From the time of the accident until she passed away the unfortunate woman suffered untold agony. Every thing possible was done to relieve her but to no avail, and she passed away at 1:30 Tuesday morning.
Laura E. Williams was born in Staunton, Clay Co., Indiana, May 2, 1861. She came with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Williams to Lehigh in 1868 where she has made her home ever since. In August 1879 she was united in marriage to James Harper. Four children were born to this union of whom three are living, William, Beldon, and Gaius Harper. Mr. Harper died October 13, 1905, and on January 2, 1907, she was united in marriage to Albert Endberg. Besides three boys and a husband to mourn her untimely death, she leaves a father and mother, one sister, Mrs. M. J. Crouse and seven brothers, Arthur H., W. J., John A., Mazeppa H., Maurice Z., Otis J., and G. M. Williams.
The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon from the house conducted by Rev. H. C. Nissen, pastor of the Methodist church. Appropriate music was furnished by Mrs. James Campbell, Mrs. Ben Goodrich, N. H. Tyson and M. N. Corey; Mrs. N. H. Tyson accompanied. The funeral was attended by a large concourse of relatives and friends who extend sympathy to the bereaved relatives in their hour of sadness. The interment took place in the west cemetery.
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