Maus family

MAUS

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 1/27/2008 at 19:36:01

Afton Enterprise
Dec. 10, 1891

The Gazette chronicles a terrible accident to the family of Joseph Maus, of that place one day last week. The family were using a gasoline stove and had a cook stove in the kitchen not in use. They stored their gasoline can in the kitchen cook stove to keep it out the the way. On the day in question, Mrs. Maus desired to wash and Mr. Maus built a fire in the cook stove, forgetting the can. After the stove had become hot, they thought of the can and opened the oven door to remove it. As soon as the door was opened, the gas exploded, scattering the burning oil over the apartment. The three children of the family were present and two of them and their parents were fatally burned. One of the children died in a few hours, and then another one and Mr. and Mrs. Maus have since died. The other child will doubtless survive it's injuries. The injured family were removed to the houses of neighbors and every thing that human kindness and medical skill could suggest was done to alleviate their sufferings. The Gazette says that the scene was sickening and heartrending in the extreme, the little body of one of the children being burned beyond the resemblance of a human being, while the others were bady mutilated. Mr. Maus was from Macksburg and not well acquainted in Creston, but was liked by all who knew him. The holocaust cast a gloom over the entire city and in Afton the expressions of sorrow and sympathy are heartfelt.

(Graceland cemetery records show Bessie Maus and Walter Maus died Dec. 3, 1891, Jasper and Jane Maus died Dec 4, 1891)