BLAKE, Ruth - Putnam

Indianapolis Jan 27 – Blinding, scalding steam caused the death of two small children Saturday afternoon.  James Blake, 5 years old and his sister, Ruth, 3 years old, children of Mr. and Mrs. William Blake, 6524 Ashland Avenue were the victims of a playtime tragedy.  Left alone in the apartment of their aunt, Mrs. James Sutton, 406 North Delaware Street, Apartment 19 while she went out to dome shopping, the children playfully turned the handle of a valve on a steam pipe which formerly had connected with a radiator.  Clouds of steam under many pounds of pressure poured out of the pipe.  Frightened and bewildered, the children climbed into bed with a rubber doll and some other toys covered themselves with a blanked and were found dead when Mrs. Sutton returned from a 45-minute shopping trip.  “Now you be good,” Mrs. Sutton had cautioned the little boy and girl as she left the house, and I’ll bring you something nice to play with when I come back.”   In truth she had for in her market basket was a brand new “dolly” for each child.  The smiling faces of the dolls intended to cheer and delight the children were now little more than mockery.  Opening the door of the apartment on her return, Mrs. Sutton called, “Jimm!”  Then she noticed jets of steam escaping around the door of the little bedroom at the back of the apartment.  Dropping her bundles she rushed to the door, threw it open and though blinded by the steam in the room found the limp little bodies on the bed and carried them to another bedroom.  Mrs. Sutton’s hands and exposed parts of her skin were burned.  The two children were scaled almost beyond recognition.  Mrs. Sutton’s screams soon attracted neighbors in the building who called the police and firemen.  When firemen and police arrived they found the apartment damp and dropping from the steam.  Mrs. Sutton was prostrate.  Large  crowds gathered around the entrance to the building attracted by the sirens of the many fire trucks which were rushed to the scene.  Capt. George M. Townsend of the fire department turned off the steam after Mrs. Sutton and members of the department opened windows in the apartment.  The children part of a family of 10, had been staying with their aunt during the last week.  Their mother at home has been caring for twin baby boys born one month ago.  Paul Blake, oldest member of the family was captain of the DePauw football team this year.  He is a senior at DePauw.  Mr. Blake is a carpenter and has been out of work several weeks according to neighbors near the Ashland Avenue address.  Other members of the family are Arvilla, 19; Virginia 18; Russell 16; Keith, 11; Maxine 8 and the twins, Jack and Joe, 4 weeks old.  Another boy, Floyd died 6 years ago.  Mr. and Mrs. Sutton have lived in the Delaware Street Apartment 12 years.  The radiation connected to the steam pipe was removed 11 years ago, Mrs. Sutton told Police Sgt. ~~~transcribed by kbz