BECK, John - 1965
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 1 Feb 1965 p 1
Waynetown – An elderly farmer of Rt. 1, Hillsboro, near Waynetown, died at 8:45 p.m. Sunday in Culver Hospital at Crawfordsville of burns suffered in an early morning flash fire at his home. John Beck, 87, living with his brother, Charles 89 in Fountain County, three miles west of here along US 136, was burned over about 85 % of his body, it was reported at the hospital. The accident occurred shortly after 7 o’clock when a can of fuel oil from which the victim was trying to revive a fire in a coal-wood stove suddenly flared up.
Beck was reported to have been pouring fuel oil into a stove in a room next to their kitchen. When the flames flare dup about him, catching his clothing afire, he threw the can into the kitchen. The two men lived alone in the home and Charles Beck had not yet come downstairs.
In trying to help his brother, Charles was burned about the knees. John suffered burns over most of his body including face, hands and chest. Much of his clothing was burned off.
Through the help of a telephone operator Charles summoned help. Waynetown and Hillsboro firemen went to the scene along with Town Marshal Clyde Bowlus of Waynetown. Bill Mitton, Waynetown fire chief, said linoleums in the kitchen and the room in which the stove was located were burned and a hole burned through the kitchen floor. He estimated damage at about $200.
The badly burned man was conscious but suffering from shock and spoke more of being cold than burned, Mitton said. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Crawfordsville while Charles Beck was treated by a physician at home.
John Beck’s wife died several years ago. Charles was a bachelor. They were usually alone at night in the home, but John’s daughter, Mrs. Charles Small and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Paul Beck, both of Waynetown alternated weeks in going out daily to help them with the household chores. Neither had yet appeared when the Sunday morning fire broke out.
The brothers, using a team of horses, plowed, mowed grass and had performed many farm chores despite their years, taking care of pigs and cattle they owned. John hauled children to school for 25 years, beginning with horse-drawn vehicles and going on with a truck, then a bus before retiring.
The body was removed to the Servies Funeral Home here.
