The New Era Humeston, Wayne, Iowa March 8, 1899 THE NEWS IN IOWA An Unusual Accident FORT DODGE, March 2 - A valuable horse belonging to George Keppner, a railroad contractor, was killed as a result of a rather peculiar accident. The horse was being driven parallel to the railroad track on which an engine was moving. On passing the engine the horse became frightened and instead of whirling away, he jumped immediately in front of the engine and was killed, although the driver, fortunately, was not injured. Fatal Fire in Monona County ONAWA, March 4 - The farm house occupied by the family of Joshua McGee, six miles from Onawa, burned and his two children, a boy 3 years of age, and a baby girl, were burned to death. The mother was fatally burned in attempting to rescue the children. The father was away from home at the time. KILLED BY A CAVE-IN Two Men at Council Bluffs Meet Death and One Injured. COUNCIL BLUFFS, March 2 - Two men were instantly killed and one seriously injured by the falling of several tons of frozen earth at the dirt bank of Wickham Brothers. The dead are J.B. Black, of Council Bluffs, and F. Kroner, of Atchison, Kansas. The injured is C.P. Read, of Council Bluffs, limb broken, severely bruised and possible internal injuries. The accident occurred on a dirt bank from which Wickham Brothers were hauling dirt for the grade of the Fort Dodge & Omaha railroad. Without any warning several tons of dirt, which had become loosened by action of the frost, came tumbling down from a height of about 25 feet. Black and Kroner were working directly underneath where the mass of earth fell and were instantly killed. Their heads were crushed and their bodies terribly mangled. A number of men shoveling in close proximity to the bank had narrow escapes. Killed Child and Self. CEDAR RAPIDS, March 3 - Despondent over his hopeless case of consumption and the sickness of a year-and-a-half-old child, Frank Metela, a Bohemian saloonkeeper, fired two bullets into the body of the child and then shot himself through the heart. They were alone in the house at the time and when discovered Metela's body was found in a sitting posture in a chair with the clothing almost burned off. The baby was lying on the bed a few feet away, and both were dead. Metela left a letter explaining why he committed the deed. The "Rev." Mr. Coffey Sentenced. DES MOINES, March 2 - "Rev." W.N. Coffey, the Drake University student who stole $600 in gold from his landlady, Mrs. Magart, and who later pleaded guilty in the district court to the charge of larceny, was sentenced by Judge Bishop to three and one-half years in the penitentiary and to pay the costs of the action. IOWA CONDENSED - Mrs. I. Calender, of Ackley, was burned to death. She was an invalid and was at home alone. When her husband returned he found her burned to a crisp. The house was full of smoke and it is not known how it caught fire. - A desperate attempt to commit murder occurred a few days ago in the Woodbury county jail. Archie Harris, about 18 years old, a tramp, fired two shots from the door of his cell, injuring another prisoner in the arm. Just how the boy got the revolver is not known, but it is supposed it was smuggled to him by some friend. Cathy Joynt Labath Iowa Old Press http://www.IowaOldPress.com/