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Eva Swartz (1938)

SWARTZ

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 2/18/2014 at 11:00:58

Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
July 17, 1938

A pleasure ride ended in tragic death for two local persons, L. C. Conrad, 73, and his housekeeper, Mrs. Eva Swartz, 67, when the Model-T Ford coupe in which they were riding overturned and burned in a ditch Sunday afternoon near the Wm. Martens place about seven miles southeast of Earlham.

The accident must have occurred at about 2:30 for it was shortly after when Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ross and Robert Hibbs came upon the scene. The car was resting on its top a position which place the gasoline tank directly over the occupants. When discovered it was still a blazing furnace. Somehow Mr. Conrad had been able to get clear of the wreck but his body was pitifully burned, his clothing having been burned completely from him. He was fully conscious and remained so until a little more than an hour before his death at 7:50 that evening at the Winterset hospital. Mrs. Swartz was trapped in the car. Her body was all but consumed by the flames.

The exact cause of the accident will never be known as Mr. Conrad himself was not sure about what had happened. He told officers and those who assisted him, however, that he may have become ill or dizzy at the time.

A few minutes after being called S. C. Welch arrived with his ambulance. With assistance Mr. Conrad was able to climb up the bank to the road where he was place on the cot and lifted into the ambulance. Just then Dr. A. G. Felter and L. D. Fisher of Van Meter arrived to help. Sheriff Null and Coroner Veltman were also early arrivals at the scene. Clyde Brittain and Albin Olson also lent their assistance.

Mr. Conrad was first taken to the Martens home where he was placed in a bathtub filled with water to ease his suffering until special ointment could be procured. A little later he was rushed to the Winterset hospital.

Mrs. Swartz’s remains were removed from the burning wreckage and later brought to the Welch Funeral home here. Attempts to locate any of her relatives failed until Monday evening when officers got in touch with a daughter at Bloomington, Illinois. The daughter was unable to come. Funeral services for Mrs. Swartz were held at the Methodist church Tuesday morning at ten o’clock with Rev. Chas. Burnett in charge. Burial was in the Earlham cemetery. Mrs. Swartz had been Conrad’s housekeeper for the past eight or nine years.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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