Fort Wayne, IN Firecracker Accident, Jun 1891

BOY BADLY BURNED.

Little Calvin Leykauf's Clothes Take Fire.

He Attempts to Shoot a Firecracker and the Result May be His Death.

Calvin, the three-year-old son of Henry N. Leykauf, of 151 Union street, was terribly burned yesterday and lies in bed at his home in a critical condition Yesterday morning the little fellow found a fire cracker and thought to celebrate the Fourth of July a week in advance. Procuring a match he went out doors to explode the little Chinese noisemaker. In some manner his waist, of light fabric, caught fire, and before assistance reached the boy his clothing was almost burned from his body. His father was absent from the city and his mother was in attendance at Church, and the boy was running about in his blazing clothing some time before neighbors discovered his terrible plight and extinguished the flames.

The boy was taken into the house, and Dr. H. V. Sweringen was summoned, as was also the lad's mother. Dr. Sweringen found the little fellow terribly burned about the back, chest, neck and arms, The boy is in extremely critical condition, but has a vigorous constitution and may pull through. The father, who is a plumber in the employ of Hattersley & Sons, was working at Greenfield, but came home last night in response to a telegram.

The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN 27 Jun 1897
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!