Leah Anderson died 1911

ANDERSON, BELL, ROWE, GREEN, HINSDILL

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 5/23/2018 at 21:57:20

Evening Nonpareil, Tuesday, Feb 07, 1911, Council Bluffs, IA, Page: 3

Girl is Burned to Death

KEOTA, Ia., Feb. 7-One of the saddest accidents which ever occurred in this vicinity resulted in the death of Leah, the 6 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Anderson, living four miles north and east of Keota, who was burned to death. Just how the awful accident occurred will never be known. Mrs. Anderson sent the little girl to the mailbox, about a quarter of a mile from home. To reach the box she would pass the residence of Mr. and Mrs. S. Bell, neither of whom were at home. The doors were unlocked and the child went in as is evidenced by her mittens found in the Bell kitchen. She found matches and went outside to play. About two dozen matches were found and a few unlighted ones. evidently her clothing caught fire, for when found by Floyd Green and Charles Rowe, who were passing, the child was lying near the road with all of her clothing burned off except shoes and cap and body burned to a crisp. She was carried into the Bell home and Dr. Hinsdill summoned by phone but she was past help. Her death occurred about 1 o’clock.