Clements boy (mom a Biddle) - powder explodes - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

A sad accident occurred at Waynetown on Sunday. Mrs. Clements of Iowa, accompanied by her 10 year old son has been visiting for some time past with her brother, John P. Biddle. Yesterday afternoon about 3 o’clock Mrs. Biddle’s little son and his little cousin slipped a quantity of powder out of the house and took it down near the stable to explode. After searching around for a suitable place they finally poured the whole lot out on a large stone.  The little Clemens boy then going up to the stone took a match and striking it touched off the powder. There was a puff of smoke and the poor lad was lying several feet away with his face terribly burned. His eyes must have closed instantly upon the explosion as his sight was not destroyed although it is seriously impaired but his face was blown full of powder and literally cooked by the fire. The doctors pronounce the case a serious one and while it is not likely that the boy will die he will go through life terribly disfigured.