Johnson, Cecil E.

Obituary -- age 36, died. Three men were killed instantly at 8:30 last night at the Baird Mine, a half mile south of Cardin Oklahoma, when a cable holding the can snapped, dropping them 100 feet to the bottom of the shaft. The dead miners are Woodrow Woody' Chambers, 30, Cardin postmaster and partner in the mine. He was in charge of the night ground shift when he was killed. Cecil E. Johnson, 36, a tub hooker, of Commerce Oklahoma. Jess Chronister, 28, also of Commerce, who formerly lived in Miami. Deputy Mine Inspector Joe Hobson, after investigating the accident, stated that apparently the cable became defective although it did not reveal any weak places or broken strands. He expressed the belief that cold weather may have caused the cable to crystalize and break. "The same cable pulled 80 cans of dirt each weighing 6,650 pounds to the surface before supper," Hobson declared. "I cannot say definitely just what caused the cable to break." It was reported that the men were riding to the surface for their evening meal when the cable broke. The bodies were raised to the surface two hours later by the use of a winch borrowed from a neighboring mine. The mine was taken over a week ago by Chambers and Ora Black of Cardin from the Baird Mining Company.
Johnson is survived by his wife Ann Johnson of Commerce; his mother, Mrs. Addie Babb of Commerce; and two half-brothers, Charles Vann of North Miami and William Vann of Denver Colorado. Three sisters, Mrs. Clare Thornsbury of Pittsburg Kansas, Mrs. Maggie Green of Douthat Oklahoma, and Mrs. Sherman Shamblin of Commerce. Funeral services will be held at 2 Friday afternoon at the Commerce First Baptist church with the Rev. J. Graver Scales officiating. Burial will be in the G.A.R. cemetery at Miami, under direction of the Mitchelson funeral home, Commerce. Chamber's survivors include his wife, Mary Chambers of Cardin Oklahoma: his mother, Mrs. Nannie Chambers of North Miami Oklahoma; three sisters, Mrs. Claude Dowty and Mrs. Rueben Dowty of Miami and Mrs. Clyde Hulsey of North Miami; three brothers, Paul Chambers with the U.S. Army in Italy; Noah Chambers also in the Army and Lowell Chambers of Miami. Funeral services will be announced by the Mitchelson funeral home. Chronister is survived by his wife, Eva Chronister; two sons, Jess Lee Chronister and Benjamin Franklin Chronister; a daughter, Shirley Ann Chronister, all of Commerce, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Chronister of Howe Oklahoma. Funeral services and burial will be held at 2:30 Sunday afternoon at Kinter Oklahoma. Note: Two different burial places named.