Edmund Loughran Coulter (1904-1913)

COULTER, WINTERSTEIN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/2/2014 at 22:00:20

From Ames newspaper September 1913

EDMUND COULTER DIES OF BURNS

Nine Year Old Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Coulter Passed Away Last Night After Two Days Suffering

Edmund Coulter, nine year old son of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Coulter, died about nine o'clock last night after suffering horrible agony for two days from buns resulting from exploding gasoline. The little fellow was burned Monday evening, while playing with a number of boy friends near Seventh street and Grand avenue. His entire body from the chest up was a mass of cooked flesh and he experience terrible suffering until the end came last evening.

Just how the accident occurred is not exactly known as at a time of such excitement, it is hard to remember all details. The little fellow came home from school Monday evening and asked permission to go down on Seventh street and play with four or five other boys. His mother granted him permission and he joined his playmates. From some source the boys secured a tin cap of gasoline and were pouring it out on the ground in little puddles and setting it afire. During this procedure the can upset and Edmund ran to it to jerk it away from the flames. Just as he secured it in his hand it caught fire and exploded covering him with the burning gasoline. His screams attracted attention and in a short time help was at hand. The flames were extinguished but not until his body was almost literally cooked from the chest up.

The little fellow was hurried to his home at 825 Grand avenue and medical aid summoned. Doctors were soon at the scene and for two days and nights medical aid and loving hands did all within their power but the odds were too great, and the end came to his suffering about nine o'clock last night. He was semi-conscious for most of the time but his face was so badly burned that his eyes were swollen shut and his lips almost shut.

Funeral services will be held from the residence tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. The father, mother and one brother Frank are left to mourn the sudden taking away of this bright little fellow. For several months last winter and spring Edmund was one the force of Evening Times carrier boys where he proved to be an alert hard working little fellow. The whole office force and all his patrons formed a fast friendship for him which makes his sad death a severe shock.

An aunt Mrs. W. H. Winterstein of Rockham, South Dakota, was on her way to Ames at the time of the accident and is expected to arrive today in time for the funeral.