Caylor, James – 1936-1937

CAYLOR

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:37

Boy, 2, Suffocates; Mother Revives
Firemen, Nurses Work On Lad For More Than Hour
James Caylor Dies: Mrs. Leona Caylor Under Oxygen Tent
James Caylor, 17-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Morton Caylor, died this morning of suffocation despite the desperate efforts to revive him with the Newton fire department’s inhalator.
His mother, Mrs. Leona Caylor, 24, was expected to survive but was under an oxygen tent at Skiff Memorial hospital.
The Caylors live at 1023 West Second Street South. Mr. Caylor is employed at the Maytag factory.
Discovered Victims
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., Mrs. L. A. McCall, wife of a Newton motorcycle officer, went to the Caylor home. Mrs. McCall is a neighbor and pays Mrs. Caylor a visit nearly every morning. Usually she drops in a little earlier, however.
When Mrs. McCall tried the front door of the Caylor bungalow she had difficulty in getting the door open. When she finally pushed it open she found Mrs. Caylor lying on the floor.
House Full of Steam
The small house was full of steam Mrs. McCall said, and apparently, Mrs. Caylor had been trying to reach the door and open it when she was overcome.
A wash boiler was on the kitchen stove and two burners were still lit, disputing the theory that the mother and son might have been overcome by escaping gas.
Officer McCall said that in his opinion the boiling wash water had used up most of the air in the small house, due to the fact that doors and windows were closed.
Mrs. McCall said that when she found Mrs. Caylor the mother had one of the baby’s diapers over her head and that this may have protected her somewhat.
Dragged outside
Mrs. McCall at once dragged Mrs. Caylor outside the house and also brought James out into the fresh air. She said that even then the youngster had no pulse beat.
A hurry call for an ambulance was made to the Morgan funeral home and it arrived in a few minutes. The ambulance roared its way to Skiff Memorial hospital, closely followed by a Newton fire truck which is equipped with an inhalator for use in such cases.
Everything Possible
It was the first time the inhalator has been used officially but Fire Chief W. L. Koppin had his men at work in record time, and nurses, doctors and firemen cooperated in doing everything possible.
A spare oxygen tank was furnished by Longwell garage and the inhalator from Fred Maytag park was also rushed to the hospital by Claude Daly, custodian, and put into use.
Through the use of the inhalator Mrs. Caylor soon responded to treatment, although she did not immediately regain consciousness.
James, however, did not respond, and after the lad had been worked on for an hour and five minutes, the attending doctor pronounced him dead. The two people were brought in at 9:50 a.m. and efforts to revive the boy were not given up until 10:55 a.m.
James Caylor was born, April 20, 1936. He was the only child.
Theory
Coroner E. A. McMurray, who pronounced the Caylor boy dead, said this afternoon he believes the youngster died of suffocation and inhalation of carbon monoxide gas.
Blood tests were being made this afternoon from both the mother and boy and these blood samples will be sent to Iowa City for examination.
Dr. McMurray visited the Caylor home this afternoon and lighted the stove under circumstances similar to those which prove fatal to the youngster. The burners of the stove did not get enough draft to burn properly, causing the carbon monoxide gas, Mr. McMurray said.
The body of the young boy, which was remove to the Morgan funeral home, turned red – an indication that it was carbon monoxide gas which proved fatal.
Source: Newton Daily News; Tuesday, September 21, 1937

Rites Friday For Caylor Boy
Mother, in Hospital, Learns of Son’s Death Wednesday Night
Funeral services for James Caylor, 17-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Morton Caylor, will be held Friday at 10 a.m., it was announced today.
The youngster died of suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning Tuesday morning. The mother was herself nearly suffocated and has been in Skiff Memorial hospital. She was released today.
Mrs. Caykor did not know of the death of her boy until Wednesday night, when she was informed by her husband.
Dr. L. B. Logan, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, will be in charge of services at Morgan funeral home. Burial will be in Newton Memorial Park cemetery.
Coroner E. A. McMurray said that he received a report this morning on tests of blood from the boy and mother which were sent to Iowa City following the tragedy.
The report showed the presence of carbon monoxide poison in the blood of both Mrs. Caylor and the boy. There was more poison in the boy’s blood, the report showed.
Source: Newton Daily News; Thursday, September 23, 1937

Hold Rites For Carbon Monoxide Victim Friday
Funeral services for James Caylor, 17-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Morton Caylor, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning Tuesday, were conducted from the Morgan funeral home Friday at 10:00 a.m. by Dr. Leslie B. Logan of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Fred Reeve furnished the music, singing “Precious Jewels” and “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” Mrs. Reeve played the accompaniment.
Interment was in the Newton Memorial Park cemetery, with the following serving as pallbearers: Edward Billings, Charles Vandenburg , Dick Morris and Derrell Morris.
Mrs. L. A. McCall and Mrs. Oliver Ingraham were in charge of the flowers.
The baby’s mother, who herself was overcome by the carbon monoxide poisoning Tuesday, had recovered sufficiently to attend the funeral rites.
Source: Newton Daily News; Saturday, September 25, 1937

Caylor, James Morris; born: 20 Apr. 1936; in Iowa; died: 21 Sept. 1937; Mother’s maiden name: Morris; Death Cert # C50-0087