POLK, Charles “Charley” E.
Date of death: 7 Aug 1890 – Effingham, Effingham County, Illinois
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, August 15, 1890,
Volume XXXI Number 8, page 3 column 2
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The funeral of Charley Polk which took place on last Saturday was a very large one and the circumstances of his death extremely sad. Mr. Polk was engaged in fitting up and putting in running order a packing house at Effingham, Ill., and while arranging the gasoline fixtures discovered that one of the pipes had sprung a leak under the building. Having located the leak he crawled under the building with a lighted lantern to the place, but no sooner had the flame come in contact with the deadly gas than an explosion took place enveloping him in a flood of flames, from which he received injuries that proved fatal in a few hours. The gasoline thoroughly saturated his clothing and he was burned in a horrible manner. Mr. Polk was well known here and had many friends and relatives to mourn his unfortunate end. The deceased leaves a wife and three small children.—[Greenwood] Graphic.
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Link to Charles “Charley” E. Polk’s grave
Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry