THREE DIE, 4TH IN SERIOUS CONDITION AS HOME BURNS.

Joplin, Mo. (AP) -- Three persons are dead and a fourth is expected to die as a result of a fire early Sunday at the OSCAR DUNCAN home.
The dead are DUNCAN, 34, his son, BOBBY, 6, and HOWARD DAME, 12 years old, neighbor boy who spent the night with the DUNCANS. Another DUNCAN boy, JIMMY, 10, is in critical condition. All were sleeping in the same ground-floor front room.
A taxicab driver, Gene Cook, saw the fire at the back of the house, broke open the front door and carried out BOBBY and JIMMY. Cook suffered burns on his face and arm and was unable to reach the others. BOBBY died several hours later in a hospital.
Fire Chief John B. Jones said firemen found DUNCAN in a bed and HOWARD DAME huddled against the wall behind the bed, both dead. The chief said a gas cook stove caused the blaze.

Nebraska State Journal Lincoln 1944-03-06
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!