Iowa
Old Press
Jackson Sentinel
Maquoketa, Jackson County, Iowa
March 2, 1876
Tipton, Iowa - At Tipton, a terrible accident recently occurred.
A prisoner named Robert Kelso, while smoking a pipe, had his
clothes catch fire. He was locked in his cell with no windows
open. The smoke got out into the hall, and was observed by the
attendants, who opened Kelso’s cell and found it filled with
smoke. They discovered Kelso upon the floor and every bit of his
clothing burned from his body, his hair and beard burned off, and
his body burned almost to a crisp. He lingered a few moments in
agony and then died.
[Transcribed by K.W., October 2009]