BEAVER STATE HERALD
Subscription, $1.00 a Year.
LENTS, MULTNOMAH CO., OREGON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1912.
PERCY WARREN BLOWN TO ATOMS CHURCH oust KVEs
BÏ EXPLOSION OF DYNAMITE
0Ar
MANY ANNEXATION TWO
PETITIONS IN FlElO
Vol. 10.
No. 29
MORE LENTS HOMES ARE
COMPLETELY RAZED FROM FIRE
■
Well known Lents Resident Meets Horrible Death in His Home
in Rolley Addition—House Blown To Splinters — Mys- ‘
tery Surrounds Horrible Affair.
'Til a wink of the eye, a draught of
the breath.
From the fullness of health to the
paleness of death.
From the gilded saloon to the bier
and the shroud.
Oh, why should the spirit of mortal
be proud!
Hurled‘from the fullness of health
into eternity is the horrible fate that
met Percy Warren, a well-known
Lenta resident at 10:16 o'clock Tues­
day evening.
A man utterly blown to pieces, his
legs dismembered, disentbowled. both
hands blown off, hie head and face
man's life and habits and no clue was
obtained that would indicate foul play
Sheriff Stevens immediately notified
the coroner, who arrived and took
charge of the shattered remains. No
inquest was held, as it was plainly
evident Ilfat the man met his death
by accident or from suicide.
Visited Neighbors During Evening.
About 7 o'clock on the evening of
the explosion Warren had called at
the home of Mr and .Mrs. W. E Dunn
and requested Mrs. Dunn to play a
number of selections on ‘.he prono-
graph, which re<|uest was granted,
and Warren then left and went to the
residence of Mr. and Mrs. Turpin,
The above show* the result of the terribio explosion that killed l*ercy Warren und
detiiolislied his holier. The debris was «attend for hundreds of fi>et and piec«*i of
fliwb blown to Uie tn>e tope. Not a single piece of fnmitun*, oooking utensil or
otlier article «-neaped.
____
charred beyond recognition, a pile of
debris—the remains of home—is the
story of the horrible death of Percy
Warren
Except that the agency of
fate was a box of dynamite, nothing
is known, and perhaps will always re­
main a mystery.
The accident, or whatever it may
have been, occurred at exactly 10:16,
according to the watch the dead man
had carried and which was later
found in the wreck. The explosion
shook the whole neighborhood and
caused no little alarm in Lents, which
is situated about one mile away. The
shock was felt in Portland and for
several miles di'tant. A few people
who heard the explosion saw a stream
of fire shoot up into the sky and
knew immediately that some horrible
accident
had
occurred
Nearby
neighbors were stunned and W. E.
Dunn, who lives within about 200 feet
of the place, was thrown from his
bed and hurled against the wall. He
soon recovered his senses, however,
and rushed to the scene. Fire had
originated among the debris and he
extinguished the flames as soon as
possible. Other neighbors appeared al­
most simultaneously and scores of
citizens rushed out from Lents in au­
tomobiles and on motorcycles. There
was nothing to be done, no assistance
to render, as the horrible tragedy was
over. An acre of ground was covered
with shattered timber and splinters
and the remains of a man found lying
a short distance from what had once
been a home.
Dynamite in the House.
Warren had a 50-pound box of dy­
namite in the house, which he pur­
chased several months ago for use in
clearing ground on his place, but it
is known that he had never used a
stick of it, and except three sticks
that had been loaned to a neighbor,
the box was intact. That the dyna­
mite was the agency of death, there
is no doubt, but whether Warren
caused the explosion through accident
or committed suicide is a question un­
answered
Sheriff Stevens Notified.
Sheriff Stevens was immediately
notified and was soon at the scene,
accompanied by a number of deputies.
Neighbors were questioned as to the
1 who live close by.
According to
them, he left their place at about 9
o'clock and returned to his home. The
time of his returning is also substan­
tiated by Mr. Dunn who saw a light
in Warren’s house shortly after 9
o’clock
From that time nothing is
known of Warren’s actions until the
explosion took place and his life
blown out.
Well Liked—Had No Enemies.
Warren had been a resident of
Lents for the past several years and
according* to all was an excellent citi­
zen, and had no known enemies He
had been married, his wife having died
several years ago. Ae neighbor re­
marked to a Herald reporter that he
was a man who always had a smile
for everyone and was not of a morbid
disposition. Since coming to Lents
he had been engaged in buying, im­
proving and selling real estate, and
at the time of his death owned other
property than the home destroyed He
was of Ivnglish birth. While it is
said he was a man who occasionally
took a drink, he never became intoxi­
cated, and in fact was of temperate
habits. The neighbors whom he vis­
ited on the fatal evening say that he
appeared as usual and no peculiar ac­
tions were noticed.
Accidental or Suicide?
Whether Warren met his fate as
the result of an accident, or whether
he planned his death through the dy­
namite agency is a question that con­
fronts his neighbors and friends, and
is one that will probably never be set­
tled. Of an apparently sunny disposi­
tion, with no known enemies, suicide
or foul play seems out of the question,
but just how the accident could have
occurred is also a greater mystery.
None of the dynamite had ever been
used and according to friends he had
no immediate intention of using the
powder, hence it seems improbable
that he would have been tampering
with the deadly explosive in any way
at that hour. One theory advanced
is that he had seated himself in a
chair and while smoking had gone to
sleep, his cigar igniting his clothes,
causing him to overturn the lamp in
his excitement, resulting in a minor
explosion that set off the box of dy
(Continued on page 4)
Interesting and Appropriate While Many Are Signing Pe­
Ceremonies Held in Lents titions Asking For Vote_ Lents Visited by Three Fires Between 5 o’clock Friday Morn-
Others Urge Calling of a
ing and 3 o’clock Sunday Morning—Origin of Two of
Evangelical Church—Rev.
“Get-together” Meeting.
The Blazes Unknown
Conklin Deliveres Address
The question of the annexation of
Although Sunday, July 28, was the
From Friday morning at 4:30 to department and their service with tbe
Lents
to Portland at the coming No­ 3 o’clock Sunday morning Lents resi­ chemical. This saved other buildings
date for the annual commemoration
of ''Mother’s Day," The Herald does vember election is one uppermost in dents were aroused three times by and tbe work rendered by the depart­
not believe it too late to g've an ac­ the minds of Lents citizens at pres­ the clang of the fire bell and the loca­ ment! was highly commendable.
Both the Fosler and Eddinger fires
count of the services rendered in the ent. Last week’s Herald stated that tion of two residences and a barn are
now marked by piles of ashes.
a
petition
in
the
hands
of
Lou
Mc
­
originated
at a time and in a manner
Lents Evangelical church on that day
Friday morning’s fire occurred on that plainly indicate incendiarism. Lo­
Kinley was being circulated, asking
The services were observed in the
that the question be submitted to vot­ Tenth avenue, north and resulted in cal citizens are as much alarmed over
morning and were attended by a large ers at the next election The petition the destruction of a small residence the condition as they were a few
number of people. To each of the carried by Mr McKinley is not the belonging to F. C. Eddinger, who months ago when local structures
large number of mothers present a only one in existence, as there are with his family resides on a small were being destroyed in wholesale
farm in Powell Valley. While un­ lots and in a manner that placed the
bouquet of sweet peas was given. several others, and the petitions are
being signed by many. Aside itom occupied, the house was partly fur­ lives and property of all in a state
These, with other beautiful floral dec­
! the fact that the petitions are being nished and none of the effects were of jeopardy.
orations, added to the festive appear­ freely signed, there are no new de- saved. The household goods were in­
Both the Eddinger and Fosler fires
ance of the occasion.
i velopments in the movement save an sured, but whether or not the house occurred at an hour and in a manner
In honor of the event, Harold I effort on the part of many to get the was insured is unknown. Mr. Ed­ that leave but little room for doubt
Retherford effectively rendered a solo | business men to hold a “get together” dinger is a man who su'fers poor as to the manner vn which they start­
entitled. "I’ll Wear a White Flower meeting and decide upon some par- healtn and tbe loss to him is keenly ed. Both the Eddinger and Foster
felt. The origin of the fire is a mys­ families were absent at the time of
ticular line of action.
for You, Mother Dear.”
the blazes, the Foslers having spent
In view of the fact that there is a tery.
The commemorative sermon, de­
At 9 o'clock Saturday morning a the night in Portland. Both families
livered by the pastor, Rev. Conklin, difference of opinion, and that the
opened with a beautiful tribute to business men are presenting various small hen house and barn belonging are well-known and there is not the
motherhood, and dealt with the pos­ i views, it is the conclusion of all that to Eggiman Bros., and situated on slightest evidence that they were in
sibilities and responsibilities of mo­ the only logical thing to do is to re­ South Main street, caught fire and any way connected with the fires, and
therhood from the standpoint of "The vive the commercial club and get the was burned to the ground. The blaze it is a plain case of a fire-bug. It has
Rights of the Child.*’ He said in part: business men and taxpayers together was started by the father of the Eg­ long been thought that Lents main­
“The greatest problem of the ’age and work in a line of unison and har­ giman brothers, in an attempt to rid tained a home for a dastardly animal
the chicken house of lice. While the of that nature and each succeeding
is not that of Capital and Labor; it mony.
The question of annexation or in­ exact method of smoking the lice out month only serves to further sub­
is not that of the Tariff; it is that of
the training of the child to take his corporation is one of no little im­ is not familiar to The Herald,, it is stantiate that belief. Robbery is not
place in the church, state, and na­ portance and one that demands seri­ nevertheless a fact that the blaze was the motive, and revenge is not to be
tional life Parents, as a rule, spend ous consideration at the hands of all. started as a result of the “smokeout” figured. It is simply a case of where
too little time in the training of their This is the verdict of all and if the process and resulted as above stated. an individual—not a man—ha- i ma­
s
children. Every child has two in­ efforts of the business men count for Although other property was not in nia for fires and gloats and
herent rights that cannot be denied: anything a meeting of the commer­ imminent danger, the fire department when a home is being destroyed '.:'j
the right to be well born, and the cial club will soon be called and the rendered valuable assistance with the the treacherous flames. This suspi­
question of annexation, as well as new chemical enigine, as did they in cion has been entertained for many
right to be well reared."
In dealing with the latter point, he many other important matters, will the Tenth avenue fire, where they months and is growing each day. Ex­
be- dealt with in an intelligent man­ saved a barn and other outbuildings tra police are on duty and special
said:
that stood within a few feet of the precautions are being enforced, and it
"There are five essentials to the ner.
will be no surprise if the guilty party
A Herald representative visited va­ burning residence.
proper rearing of the child: first, ev­
The Sunday morning fire occurred is brought before the bar of justice
ery child should be taught implicit rious places of business this week and
obedience. It if a sad fact, but none finds that Lents business men are not on Saginaw Heights a.:d destroyed ere long.
The efficient work of the fire de­
the less true, that the modern child at all united on this particular ques­ the Fosler residence. The house was
rarely possesses this admirable trait, tion, but are ready to get together a mass of flames when first discov­ partment is all that kept all three of
The injunction. ‘Children obey your and discuss the merits of the ques­ ered, and despite the fact that the the fires from spreading and making
In all three
parents.' is too often interpreted 'Pa­ tion. Each man visited gives his just chemical engine was drawn to the a bigger conflagration
rents obey your children.’ Y’ou can­ reason for his particular views and scene by an auto in less than five fires the chemical engine was brought
not begin too early to instill habits from all indications each man is ready minutes from the time of the alarm, into good play, and although Lents
of strict obedience into the mind of to compromise on a basis that insures the entire residence and contents has owned the engine less than two
the child
Secondly, every child the greatest good to the greatest were destroyed. A woodshed stand­ months it has more than paid for it­
ing within less than 20 f»et of the self. It serves more than many peo­
”
should be taught industry. A lazy boy number.
The Herald believes that every bus­ house was saved by the excellent ef­ ple realize, and the value of it has
will grow into a lazy man as surely
as a crooked sapling will make a iness man should be given a say in forts of the bays of the volunteer fire been greatly underestimated.
crooked tree. A lazy man is the most the premises and that effort should
pitiable, as well as the most danger­ lie made by every one to arrive at 1
ous, character to be found anywhere. a definite and intelligent conclusion j
Many parents make the grave mistake and act accordingly.
Lents is, without doubt, the largest
of failing to teach their children to
perform daily tasks simply because unincorporated town or suburb in the
they find it easier to do it themselves. United States and the question of
Although children often find the ne­ future government is not a question
cessity of work rather disagreeable at to be treated clandestinely or in a
When a driver from the Spring Valley
The Lents Concert Band, under the
the time, in later life they are most haphazard manner. The population Wine Company entered the home of
direction
of Prof. Thielke, gave their
thankful for the habit thus formed. of Lents is aoout 10,000 souls and is
Mrs C. 8. Drake, in the Lents district, first regular weekly concert Tuesday
Thirdly, every child must be taught composed of an area and wealth that
to make a prearranged delivery of a fact­ evening in the Foster road and Main
self-control or temperance Many lives reaches a large sum.
many of 1)0 of P°rt wine’ ** PlunP'd
into street square. The attendance was
Portland business men, or
c ____
are shipwrecked by an uncontrolled!
i
the
midst
of
a
delegation
of
Women
’s not exceptionally large, owing to the
them,
do
not
realize
the
importance
will. Temperance should not be in­
terpreted to apply to the use of ai- of the annexation of Lents, or at Christian Temperance Union metntiers, fact that the concert had not been
coholic drinks only, but should be least do not appear to. The action of assembled for the purpose of being there announced, but those who heard the
when he arrived. He was whipsawed.
broadened to include moderation in Portland's city council in the matter
selections
rendered
were
highly
This happened nearly a year ago, and
eating, reading, pleasure, and fashion. of water rates, fire hydrants and other
pleased with the progress of the local
yesterday A. Shapiro, a member of the
Fourthly, every child must be taught concessions would indicate that the
-organization.
firm, was placed on trial in Justice
the love and fear of God. This can city cares not whether Lents becomes
Owing to the fact that the arc light
Bell's court for selling liquor in “dry”
only be accomplished by the example a factor of the city's growth and
is situated in such a manner that the
territory. He was acquitted.
and unremitting care of the parents, wealth. This attitude on the part of
bank was unable to see with satisfac­
Mrs G. 8. Ford, daughter of Mrs.
This is perhaps the most sadly ne- Portland has been the cause of the
tion, the repertoire was cut short, but
Drake, naively told the •■ourt how it
by next Tuesday night better lights
glected of all the essentials of child development of a sentiment that is
happens«!.
training, as many parents leave it en­ highly unfavorable to annexation, and
will have been provided and a good
“I heard my mother give the order
tirely to the church and its agencies it is attfUndeniable fact that if Lents
two-hour concert will be rendered.
and I was surprised. I wanted to tell
But while the church and Sunday interests were given the consideration the man that she was a Woman’s Chris­
The concerts will be rendered each
school can accomplish much, the that is due there would be little or no tian Temperance Union member and week and promise to add greatly to
the entertainment line in Lents. Next
training received one day in the week opposition to annexation.
that he would get into trouble.”
cannot overcome the neglect of the
The driver did not get the warning Tuesday evening, if the weather is
other six
Fifthly, every child must ELGIN LIGHT PLANT
ami apfs'ared in due time with the wine good, several hundred people will turn
DESTROYED BY FIRE
be taught reverence for the Bible.
which bad been ordered. Present be­ out to hear the various selections and
Since rhe Bible is prohibited from the
sides Mrs. Drake anil her daughter were there is no doubt but what the con­
Elgin. Or., Aug 5.—Elgin on Fri-
public schools, the home is the only
Mrs. George Kimber and Mrs. M. O. certs will prove to be highly popular.
That the Lents band will soon be­
place for teaching reverence for God's day had one of the worst fires in Winton, staunch “white-ribbonere.”
\\ ord Let the children see you read ' years when the electric light plant They calmly accepted the vile fluid and come one of the best organizations in
it daily; make them read it and learn I was entirely destroyed by flames The paid for it, and then Mrs. Kitnber went the state is the verdict of all. as the
it; it will pay " He closed with a | fire started in the engine and boiler- to the district attorney and swore to a excellent direction of Director Thiel­
ke and the talent of the members is
touching picture of his own home life, j room around the shavings bin and in complaint.
and the lasting influence of his •less than five minutes the entire plant
Active in the ease were R. E. Beegle, the best and the organization will
was in flames, and it was only by a real «-state* man of Lents, and Rev. W. soon be one great pride to I-ents
mother.
At the close of the sermon. Mr. and i hard work on the part of the firemen Boyd Moore of the Lents Met his list
This week a committee represent­
Mrs Mackay, Mr. and Mrs. Lord. and that the planing mill and box factory Episcopal church.
ing the band and a committee of bus­
Newton G Hediti were received into adjoining were not burned also. The
Grille«! by Attorney Swett for their iness men purchased a fine bass horn
light plant was owned by H. D. Spen­ “frame-up"
church membership.
the “white ribboners” for the use of the band. The instru­
cer A Co., and is a total loss, and as stoutly denied that they had plotte'd. ment is of the Buescher manufacture
a consequence Elgin will be in dark­ Mrs. Drake had ordered the wine be­ and one of the finest on the market
WANTED.
X ness for some time to come.
cause she thought she “might nee«l it,” The instrument was purchased from
and the other women “just happened” Siberling & Lucas, a well-known mu­
Names of 1000 Ex-Kanean’s. Î
People who attend the Isis theater to be there when the wine was delivered. sical firm of Portland, and will be
of evenings are assured of a good Swett told the jury not to believe this paid for by funds raised from the
cool room. The new electric fans re­ explanation and characterize«! tbejsc-, business men and citizens, and is to
Address, H. A. Darnall, Lents X cently installed make the Isis a place tion of the women as an outrageous remain the property of the business
of comfort and pleasure.
men.
plot.—Oregonian, Aug. 7.
PORTLAND LIQUOR BAND BEGINS
DEALER ACQUIRED WEEKLY CONCERTS
Î
J Oregon.
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