A new article has been added at Newspaper Abstracts > United States > California > Contra Costa http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=561 Also visit our new sister site: http://www.Genealogy101.com Direct link to article: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?id=37657 Submitted by: SherylRodda Article Title: Antioch Ledger Article Date: September 12 1938 Article Description: William Easton Dies When Cigaret Ignites His F Steet Home; Funeral Wednesday Article Text: Tragedy Follows in the Wake of Gay Party; Was Member of Pioneer Family of This County A gay party ended in tragedy here early yesterday morning when William H. Easton, 29, was burned to death in his home at 1420 F street. Mr. and Mrs. Easton and a half-dozen other couples had made the rounds of local night clubs. At about 12:30 Mr. Easton – “Bill” to his many friends – said he “had enough for the evening” but urged his wife to stay with the party. The couple’s 6-year-old daughter, Barbara, was spending the evening at the Jack Walker home, where a girl had been engaged to look after the children of several others attending the party. Mrs. Easton and a party of friends drove Mr. Easton home. He sat down on the chesterfield in the living room, lit a cigarette and bade the others goodnight. It was then 1 a.m., and he was not seen alive again. Shortly before 2 o’clock, Chris enes of Pittsburg, visiting at the Ellsworth Wells residence, saw flames inside the Easton home. He attempted to break in, battered on the door, but received no response. Mrs. Wells then telephoned an alarm to the Antioch Fire Department, less than a minute after a similar alarm was sent in from the Serve-Rite Bakery. A crew of firemen under Assistant Chief Charles Sweeney rushed to the scene. Flames were shooting high in the air as the roof and furniture of the house burned. Two hose lines were brought into play, and in 20 minutes the fire was sufficiently under control so that Chief Sweeney could enter the gutted home. Almost at once, the beam of his flashlight disclosed the body of Mr. Easton, lying just inside the bedroom door. The body was burned beyond recognition; positive identification was made several hours later by Dr. Luke Bryan, local dentist, by means of dental charts. Chief of Police Al LeRoy and Police Commissioner Grover Donovan at once began an investigation of the fire, questioning those who had been at the party, and exploring every possibility. As Chief LeRoy reconstructs the tragedy, Mr. Easton dropped his cigarette, or a spark from it, onto the cushions of the chesterfield. He then entered the bedroom and laid down on the bed, falling asleep at once. The cigarette smoldered in the excelsior stuffing of the chesterfield, finally burst into flames. A nearby window drape ignited. Almost instantly, the room filled with dense smoke. Police believe Mr. Easton was partly suffocated as he slept; awakening, he attempted to enter the living room, which by that time was an inferno of smoke and flame. A blast of fire struck him unconscious and he fell by the doorway, where his body was found approximately half an hour later by Chief Sweeney. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Preston’s chapel. Burial will be at the Masonic and Odd Fellows cemetery. Rev. Kenneth Adams of the Methodist church will officiate. Surviving relatives, in addition to his wife, Martha, and daughter, Barbara, are: Constable Joe Rodda and William Rodda, both of Pittsburg, uncles; Mrs. William Stone, Pittsburg, aunt; Mrs. Harriett Rodda, Pittsburg, grandmother; Mrs. Joseph Mello, Montana, sister; Mrs. Tony Faria, Antioch, sister; Wendell Easton, Antioch, brother. Mr. Easton was a member of a pioneer family which lived for many years at Somersville, where his father, W. M. Easton, was prominent in coal mining circles. Deceased was born in Antioch January 17, 1909. An autopsy was performed late this afternoon by Dr. Thomas J. Dozier. Report on his findings – expected to be death by smoke strangulation – will not be available until Coroner C.L. Abbott conducts the official county inquest. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ CA-Old-News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NewspaperAbstracts.com - Finding our ancestors in the news! TM http://www.NewspaperAbstracts.com