Cunningham, Hugh

Obituary -- T. R. Thompson, administrator of the estate of Joe Cunningham, who died Jun 16, from injuries received in the Underwriters Land Company Mine No. 2 near Picher Oklahoma, yesterday brought a damage suit for $30,000 against the land company for the benefit of the heirs of Cunningham. The petition alleges that Cunningham, only 15 years old, was working in the mine in violation of the state law and at a dangerous task, and that carelessness of mine officials was responsible for his death. Cunningham was the support of his aged parents who live in Missouri, the petition states. Note age differences.

Obituary -- Hugh Cunningham, 18 years old, died at 4 yesterday afternoon in a Fort Scott Kansas hospital from injuries received in a lead mine explosion near Pleasanton Kansas, Monday afternoon. Harold Cole, a brother-in-law was killed outright at the time of the blast. William Cunningham, the boy's father, and Frank Howard were severely burned, but are expected to recover. All four men were formerly miners in the Oklahoma lead and zinc fields and were well known at Commerce and Miami. William Cunningham, who shares ownership of the mine with E. E. Simpson, sheriff of Ottawa county, said positively yesterday that he saw a flying pebble strike an electric light bulb at the moment of the explosion. The heated wires of the bulb are believed to have ignited gas in the mine...A double funeral for the two men killed in the explosion was held at 4 this afternoon at the North Miami Oklahoma Christian church. Hugh Melvin Cunningham is survived by his wife, Opal Cunningham, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Cunningham of Pleasanton; three sisters, Mrs. Venona Dobson of Cardin Oklahoma, Mrs. Audrey Cole of Pleasanton and Virginia Cunningham of the home, and one brother, Lawrence Cunningham, at home. Mr. Cole's wife was Hugh Cunningham's sister.