Former Jerome Resident Dies of Burns

Daily Iowegian - 8 October 1923

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Negro Died in Hospital Sunday Eve

Simon Wilson, the Victim, Lived at Diamond

Had Blind Wife--He Too Was Blind in One Eye

Car Was Enveloped in Flames When Assistance Came

  Simon Wilson, colored, a former resident of Jerome, and recently a miner at Diamond, died at St. Joseph hospital last night from burns which he received when he drove his car into the ditch about four miles west of this city on the Plano road at 1:30 p.m. yesterday.

  Wilson was driving his car, a Maxwell touring, toward this city and was alone. He was on the Plano road and going at a good rate of speed at about 1:30 p.m. when people driving behind him saw tghe car swerve suddenly and go into the ditch. Almost simultaneously it burst into flames and while people looked on unable to lend much assistance they saw the bolored man wrapped in flames. Little detail is given as to what followed. However, the Comley & Beckner ambulance was called and rushed to the scene. When they arrived Wilson was lying on the bank at the side of the road wrapped in blankets. He was suffering horrible pain and begged the men with the ambulance to kill him. He was rushed to St. Joseph's hospital and arrived there at about 2:00 p.m. Everything was done to save his life but he was so badly purned that it was impossible and he died at 8:30 last night.

  Wilson was a mine worker of Jerome and about three weeks ago he came to Diamond where he had been working. He was said to have been blind in one eye and leaves a wife that is wholly blind. It is said that there were no children. It is not known whether the car was on fire before it went into the ditch or not, although the supposition today is that it was. The wreck caused the engine to be pushed back beneath the cowl gas tank but whether the fire had already started or not, no one knows.