Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1915 — J. J. LAWLER INJURED; FATHER SUFFOCATED [ARTICLE]

J. J. LAWLER INJURED; FATHER SUFFOCATED

Chicago Stockman and Wealthy Jasper County Land Owner Injured When Homo Burns. M. O. Lawler, father of John J. Lawler, died as a result of suffocation and John suffered severe injuries when their home in Chicago was burned Monday night. James Walters, local manager for the Lawler farms, received a telephone message this Tuesday morning from Charles Day, Mr. Lawler’s secretary, stating that his employer's injuries were such that he had been taken to a hospital for treatment. —Mr. Walters understood that Jack had jumped from a third story window and' that he had broken one heel and severely wrenched his back. The Chicago Herald gives the following account of the fire: Michael O. Lawler, a pioneer live stock commission man, was killed last night by suffocation In a fl re in his residence at 3619 Indiana avenue.

His son, John J. Lawler, was burned severely in an attempt to rescue his father, who was 82 years old and an invalid. (Mr. Lawler was in a bedroom on the second floor when the fire was discovered. His younger son ran to ;urn in an alarm and two daughters escaped to the street. One, Miss Anna Lawler, jumped- from a window and was injured. The rest of the family were on the ground floor. The elder son, who is a commission merchant at the stockyards, ran up to his father’s (bedroom and took the helpless old man in his arms. ; ™: The son staggered to the front of ;he house instead of escaping by ;he rear staircase, in his confusion, ■because of the smoke. The front stairway wa® shut off by the flames and he made his way into the front room. His clothing had caught fire and he burned his hands in beating out the fire. When he was ahnots overcome by rhe smoke he realized his efforts to save his father were useless. He placed the old man on the floor and leaped from a window. He was 'bruised by the fall. Firemen raised a ladder to the window when they arrived and carried out Mr. Lawer’s body. Ho is believed to have been suffocated While in his son’s arms. The cause of the fire was not learned. The damage is about $5,000. / Mr. Lawler retired from business five years ago.