Johnny Gideon
March 1, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper

Kingman--About 10 o'clock Sunday night Johnny Gideon, 
a young man between 19 and 20 years of age, repaired 
to his home on Beale Street, unlocked the door of his 
room and went to bed.  His father, Joe Gideon, 
sleeping in an adjoining room, heard his son enter 
the house and noted the hour of his arrival.  
Between 1 and 2 o'clock he was awakened by the 
noise of fire crackling and arose to investigate.  
Entering the kitchen he saw the light blazing 
through the window of his son's room, which was an 
addition built out upon the porch.  He then ran to 
the door of the room, which he found locked. This 
he broke down, at the same time calling to his boy 
and yelling fire to bring others to his aid. Mr. 
Gideon thinks he heard his son answer once, but is 
not certian.  Finding it impossible to enter the 
room, from which the smoke and flames were pouring 
in volumes, the distracted man rushed around to the 
window, which he broke in, hoping by this means to 
create a draft and thus effect an entrance but it 
was useless.  The building was of lumber and was 
destroyed in a very few minutes.  A large crowd 
was quickly on the scene, but too late to render 
any assistance either in saving the victim or 
subduing the fire.  Fortunately for the surrounding 
residence there were scarcely any wind and the 
flames were confined to the one building.  The 
body when taken out was a ghastly sight.  The 
boy must have realized his awful predicament, 
for he had put a pillow around his head and face 
to protect them from the burning heat.

The origin of the fire is easily accounted for, says 
the Kingman Arrow.  Gideon lit a candle in a miner's 
candlestick and went to sleep leaving it burning and 
hanging on the wall above his bed.  When the candle 
burned away it fell from the wall, setting fire to 
the house.  A coroner's jury was empaneled and 
rendered a verdict in accordance with the above facts.