On the evening of Feb'y 15th 1898 while a severe forest fire was raging which caused my father to lose his house and every thing he had I saw Mr. R. W. Legars[?] and John Rorie retruning from Kershaw, and they were caught in the fire. The smoke and fire were severe and the last I saw of John Rovie he was cutting his mule loose from the wagon. I saw nothing more of him until the following morning when I saw him lying in the woods dead with his clothes burnt off. Am satisfied he came to his death from being burnt.