1904 WB Record Almanac, Fatal Accidents in 1903


1 Dec 1902 to 30 Nov 1903
FATAL ACCIDENTS
Residents of the County Who Met With Accidental Death 
Otherwise Than About Mines or Railroads.

Raymond, little son of Mr. and Mrs. James Harris of Ashley.  
Clothing catching fire, Dec. 12, 1902
John A. John of Plains, 72 years, by being struck by a wagon 
while crossing the street, Dec. 13, 1902.
Howard Newell, 18 years, by breaking through the ice on the 
Lehigh at White Haven and being drowned, Dec.20, 1902.
Michael Wanko of Swoyersville, falling from a house on which 
he was working.  Dec. 30, 1902.
William Blitz of Wilkes-Barre, in a coasting accident; Jan. 1.
Thomas, son of Mr. and Mrs. George B. DuBois, 15 years, in a 
collision while coating on Franklin Street hill, Wilkes-Barre, Jan. 15.
Mrs. Anthony Jerus of Hazleton, by the explosion of a lamp, Jan. 17.
Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Dougher. Wilkes-Barre, 
11 years, while trying to jump on mine cars, Jan. 21.
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stoddell, Sturmerville, 2 years, scalded, Jan. 21.
Thomas Cawley of Duryea, 50 years, by falling from a bridge, Jan. 22.
Nunzio Dente of Pittston, 23 years by a cave on the “Cannon Ball”
 trolley line, Jan. 25.
Rufpach Umbardo, a lamplighter of Wilkes-Barre, 27 years by the 
explosion of gasoline while filling a lamp.
Andrew, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Bulogh of Coleraine, burned to 
death, Feb. 3.
Alta, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Garey, Plains Township, 18 months, 
burns, Feb. 8
Thomas Mossip of Wilkes-Barre, 16years, accidentally shot, Feb. 8.
Nellie, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Charles Marman of Plymouth, 3 years, 
burns, Feb. 17.
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Walsh, Maffet’s, 4 years, burns Feb. 21.
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Everett, 3 years.  Wyoming, burns, Feb.23.
Claire Gerrity, 7 years, Pittston Township, scalded, March 1.
Nellie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles McLaughlin, East End, 3 years, 
by a trolley car, March 10.
Joseph Burns of White Haven, 21 years, while working on a bridge, March 11.
Daniel Burns of Avoca, 36 years, by falling into a creek, March 16.
Mrs. Thomas P. Morgan of Hazleton by injuries sustained by falling on ice, March 16.
Peter W. Gruver, 58 years, by falling four stories down elevator shaft at 
North Wilkes-Barre lace mill.
Frank Heffernan, 9 years, drowned while trying to cross a creek, March 23.
Son of William Babcock of Fairmount Township, 5 years, drowned in a creek, March 23.
William Park of Plainsville, struck by a street car, April 1.
William Harris of West Pittston, 23 years, drowned in the river.  April 4.
Mrs. Kate Bigelow, 42 years, Dupont, burned to death, April 5.
Walter Gibbons of Avoca, 15 years, by falling from a train into the river. April 13.
Ignatius Delinsky, Plymouth, falling down stairs, April 13.
Nathaniel Wenner of Ashley, 49 years, by falling from a bridge at Fairview, April 17.
Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Keating, Larksville, burns, April 21.
Anthony Cheppolis. Upper Pittston, 19 years, lockjaw as the result of an injury, April 20.
Joseph Sevilla of Plymouth, 39 years, by falling from a window in his sleep, April 23.
Charles Kline, 30 years traction company employee, by falling from a car. April 25.
Body of Pietro Monido found smothered on a culm bank at Luzerne Borough, April 27.
John Keegan of Ashley, as the result of a fall, April 30.
Mrs. Emory E. Herr of Wilkes-Barre, 30 years, burns, May 3.
Joseph Christ Hazleton, 42 years, caught by a car, May 1.
Alfred, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nash, Hazleton, 2 years, eating strychnine pills, May 1.
Andrew, son of Mrs. George Rhodes, 4 year, burned to death in house fire 
near Parsons, May 20.
John, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Kobilcho, 7 years, Plymouth Township, 
drowned in a dam, May 23.
Henry Bright of Hazleton, 18 years, drowned while trying to save a companion, May 25.
Morris Kline of Grand Tunnel, 33 years by walking out of a window in his sleep, May 29.
Son of Perry Hoover of Harvey’s Lake, 8 years, drowned in the lake, June 6.
Joseph, son of Patrick Masterson of Wilkes-Barre, 6 years, drowned in 
Harvey’s Lake June 7.
Edward, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Miller of West Pittston, 10 years, 
drowned while bathing, June 9.
Freeman Laudenberg of Wilkes-Barre, 26 years, while at work in the Hazle 
street sewer excavation,
Michael Lavelle of Avoca, son of Michael Lavelle, 12 years, of Lockjaw, 
the result of firing blank cartridges from a pistol, June 20.
Mrs. Hannah Ruddy of parsons, 71 years, injuries by a fall, June 20.
Mrs. Sarah Ford, Wilkes-Barre, injuries by a fall, June 21.
Mary Retzcavage, Pittston, 6 years, street car, June 25.
John Underwood, Wilkes-Barre, 65 years, falling in Hazel street sewer trench, June 26.
S. H. Drake of Plymouth Township, struck by a wagon, June 29.
Joseph, son of Thomas Clark of Laflin, 7 years, struck with a pole, June 29.
John W. Harvey of Lattimer, drowned by falling in a mine hole, June 28.
Annie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Peronski, Plymouth, burns, June 30.
Stanley Staedt of Naticoke, 14 years, fright caused by swallowing a cartridge, July 3.
Wesley Kyttle of West Nanticoke, 14 years, drowned while bathing in the canal, July 4.
Elias D. Trimble of West Nanticoke,30 years, while trying to rescue young Kyttle, July 4.
John Nolan of Dupont, drowned in a pond, July __.
Mary Wida, Glen Lyon, burns, July 5.
Michael, son of Thomas Hally, Wilkes-Barre, lockjaw, the result of 
Fourth of July accident, July 7.
Charles Hoffmeister of Wilkes-Barre, 8 years, lockjaw caused by 
Fourth of July accident, July 10.
Joseph Day of Pittston, Laflin powder mill explosion, July 13.
Alfred Day of Pittston, Laflin powder mill explosion, July 13.
Alexander Moore of Laflin, Laflin powder mill explosion, July 13.
James Lamb of Plymouth Township, 12 years, lockjaw resulting from 
blank cartridge, July 11.
Raymond, sonofMr.nad Mrs. Robert Seeben, Wilkes-Barre, 9 years, 
lockjaw resulting from blank cartridge, July 13.
Perry, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Fols, Newport Township, 16 years, 
lockjaw resulting from blank cartridge, July 13.
Colman Adelson, Wilkes-Barre, 69 years, result of a fall down stairs, July 13.
Harry Comstock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams of Ashley, 10 years, 
lockjaw resulting from blank cartridge, July 13.
Josephine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Estock of Nanticoke, 5 years, burns, July 13.
Max Griner of Pittston, 13 years, drowned in a pond while bathing, July 16.
Malachi Cavanaugh of Avoca, 22 years, by boiler explosion at Avoca Colliery, July 16.
Prosper, son of Mr. and Mrs. Warg of Hazleton, 6 years, burns, July 16.
James Lynch of Pittston, drowned in Lackawanna River, July 18.
Jessie Brader of Plains, 19 years, lockjaw from a blank cartridge, July 23.
Joshua Butler, wife and baby of Westmoor, while driving across L.V.R.R. 
track at Port Bowkley, July 26.
George, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kirham, Wilkes-Barre, 17months, by 
falling into a tub of water, July 25.
Child of Mr. and Mrs. William Connor of Forty Fort, 4 months, given wrong 
medicine by mistake, July 27.
Fred W. Ehrman, Freeland, 10 years, lockjaw resulting from a blank cartridge, July 30.
Ray, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bittenbender of Nescopeck, 11 years, lockjaw 
resulting from blank cartridge accident, July 30.
Frank Shipkowski of Dorrance Township, 60 years, by falling from a porch, Aug. 3.
John Jeshenski, 12 years, Larksville, drowned in pond while swimming, Aug. 4.
Anna Jeffries, Wilkes-Barre, 9 years, run down by a mine car, Aug. 5.
Frank, son of Mr. and Mrs. Matthias Ruschell of Pittston, 9 years, drowned in the 
river while bathing, Aug. 11.
John Ferry of Freeland, neck broken by a fall down stairs, Aug. 11.
Frank Mauraco of Minesville, smothered by being covered with culm, Aug. 11.
Henry Surman of Plymouth, 78years, drinking carbolic acid by mistake, Aug. 13. 
Patrick Reap of Pittston Township, 53years, falling from a bridge, Aug. 13.
Andrew Kokaskie of McAdoo, asphyxiated by gas in a Hazleton hotel, Aug. 18.
Oliver Dickinson, of Fairview, in powder mill explosion, Aug. 27.
Lena, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Crim, Wilkes-Barre, 3 years, struck by 
street car, Sept. 1
Gilbert Brown of Nanticoke, 23 years, by electricity while working on an electric 
light pole, Sept 6.
Florence, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Ayers of East End, 2 years, by a heavy
 timber falling on her while playing, Sept. 6.
Mrs. Michael Wolfe of Luzerne Borough, 65 years, in trolley car wreck, Sept. 6.
Capt. Patrick Hammond of Plymouth, falling down stairs, Sept. 11.
William Case of Sugarloaf Township, 63 years, accidentally shooting himself, Sept. 16.
Joseph Cawley of Avoca, 20 years, shocked to death by third rail of the Laurel Line, Sept. 17.
Minnie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Payne, 2 years and 7 months, West 
Nanticoke, drinking washing fluid, Sept 28.
Thomas A. Hatch of Wilkes-Barre, 16 years, shock caused by having a hand 
crushed at the North Wilkes-Barre lace mill, Oct. 3.
S. K. Myers of Plymouth, struck by electric car, Oct. 9.
Rudolph Wozale, Luzerne Borough, 2 years, accidentally shot, Oct. 9.
John Lutz of Swoyerville, falling from a ladder, Oct. 16.
Joseph Bruzza of Nanticoke, neck broken by falling out of a wagon, Oct. 20.
Pierce Morgan, Plains, 17 years, falling under a Laurel Line construction train, Oct. 20.
Eunice, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Dean Pittston, 6 years, by a trolley car, Oct. 21.
Mrs. Lawrence VanBuskirk of Plymouth, 38 years, of burns, Oct. 22.
Rose Guiseppe, Pittston, 5 years, burns, Oct. 26.
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Renshaw of Avoca, 18 months, falling from a window, Oct. 28.
Orlando Smith of Freeland, 16 years, accidentally shot while gunning, Oct. 29.
John Joshepski of Upper Lehigh, by ax glancing and fracturing his skull while he 
was chopping a tree, Oct. 30.
James McCloskey of Plymouth, inhaling sulphur fumes on a culm bank, Nov. 3.
Christian Delsroth of Wilkes-Barre, 41 years, by falling from a wagon at Nanticoke, Nov. 9.
Joseph Zitkeus of West Pittston, 15 years, accidentally shot, Nov. 9.
Edith, daughter of Mr.  and Mrs. Robert Eddinger of Nescopeck, 2 years, scalded, Nov. 12.
Lawrence Toole of Duryea, 61 years, exposure by falling down an embankment 
during the night, Nov. 16.
Holly Fish of Avoca, 42 years, of injuries by falling from a trestling, Nov. 20.
Daniel Dietrick of Nescopeck, 38 years, iron falling on him from a car at Berwick, Nov. 22.
Joseph, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. John Chuskovitch, 15 months, burns, Nov. 21.
John Marstko, Sugarloaf Township, 10 years, fell through the ice while skating, Nov. 22.
Stella N. White, Ashley, burns, Nov. 24.
Frank Ovitskie of Scranton, asphyxiated in a Pittston hotel, Nov. 28.
Henry Williams of Wyoming, 20 years, electrocuted by catching hold of an electric wire, Nov. 27.
Annie, daughter, of Mr. and Mrs. John Kuhle of Harwood, 5 years, burns, Nov. 29.


Typed by Tina Pastusic, 10 Jan 2009