Pryor, Arthur T.

Baxter Springs Kansas, June 8--Four men were killed and two injured in the worst mine accident in the Tri-State District in six years, when they were caught under two slabs which fell at the Swailey Mine of the Beck Mining Company, a mile and a half west of Baxter, at 10:30 this morning. Charles Andrew Abbott, 61 years old, of Crestline Kansas, a machine man, was killed outright, Arthur Pryor, 53, of Miami Okla-homa, a roof trimmer, died shortly before noon, and William Archer, 33, of Baxter Springs route 1, a machine man, and Henry Pendleton, 125 North Washington street, Joplin, a machine helper died this afternoon. All of them died in Picher hospital, Picher Oklahoma. Abbott and his helper, Pendleton, were caught by the first slab, about 13 inches thick and 30 feet long, while at work in a drift heading. Four other men rushed immediately to their aid and were working to extricate them when a second slab, about five inches thick and some 20 feet long, fell on them. Two of the four, Pryor and Archer, were fatally injured. The other two were William Whittenbach, 47, of 315 South Netta street, Picher Oklahoma, a machine man, and Clifford Skidmore, 29, of 609 West Second street, Picher, a rope rider. Whittenbach suffered a fractured spine and his condition was considered serious by attendants at Picher hospital. Other miners including men from nearby mines, joined in the rescue work. It required about an hour to free all of the victims. They were rushed to Picher hospital in Durnil ambulance from Picher, and Hoskins-Wene ambulance. Today's accident claimed the largest number of victims since January, 1939, when five men lost their lives in an accident at the Southern Mine, northwest of Treece Kansas. The accident is being investigated by Dal Downing, Kansas state mine inspector, and Coroner Victor Winter. Abbott, who was unmarried, lived with his mother, Mrs. Rosa Abbott, at Crestline Kansas. He had lived in that vicinity 50 years. He also is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Mamie Turner of Badger Kansas, Mrs. Hattie Ludwig and Mrs. Nellie Scruger of Crestline. Pryor, who lived at 117 C street, Southeast, Miami, had lived there 18 years. Surviving are his widow, three daughters, Mrs. Clarence Moore of Little Rock Arkansas, Mrs. D. W. Griffith of Lincoln Nebraska, and Phyllis Pryor of the home; five sons, Virgil Pryor of Vinita Oklahoma, Arthur Pryor, Jr., Willard Pryor and Duaine Pryor, all of the home, and Buford Pryor, serving with the United States Marine Corps on Okinawa. His body is at the Cooper funeral home at Miami. Archer lived north of Baxter Springs Kansas and had lived in that area several years. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Bessie Archer; his mother, Mrs. Ruth Archer of Blackjack Oklahoma and a brother, Shelley Archer of Baxter Springs. His body is at the Allison funeral home at Galena Kansas. Pendleton, 43, is survived by two brothers, George T. Pendleton and Charles Pendleton, of Baxter Springs; two sisters, Mrs. Anna Huston of Pryor Oklahoma and Mrs. Lydia Green of Joplin and three half-brothers. Abbott's and Pendleton's bodies are at the Hoskins-Wene funeral home. Note: Also see Charles Andrew Abbott, Henry Pendleton and William Archer.