People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1894 — PERISHED BY FIRE. [ARTICLE]

PERISHED BY FIRE.

Weatlhy Farmer Burned to Death While Trj'ing to Save a Hidden Treasure. Vandalia, ' 111., Aug'. 15.—A holocaust occurred near Ramsey Monday night. Martin Dowell, a weathy farmer, and his family had retired for the night. Mr. Dowell, who is over 70 years of age, and one son slept upstairs. The mother and two daughters slept on the first floor. The son late at night discovered a fire, which was then burning in the upper story. He told his father to get up and jump out of the window while he hastened downstairs to save his mother and sisters. He rescued the persons below, but could see nothing of his father. He rushed back upstairs and groped bis way as best he could through smoke and flame, but was unable to find his father and the old gentleman perished. The boy was terribly burned and cannot live. The old man, it is said, kept large sums of money about the house, and it is supposed he attempted to secure his wealth and in so doing was overcome by the heat and could not get out.