Barnes, Robert

Picher Oklahoma, Feb 20 Robert Barnes, West Third street, lies in a serious condition at the American hospital at Picher as the result of a fractured skull inflicted Monday during an altercation at the Golden Rod Mine No. 9. Ben Carry of Cardin Oklahoma who was arrested in Joplin Missouri yesterday by Joe Anderson, special officer and committed to the county jail at Miami, is alleged to have struck Barnes on the head with a four-foot piece of steel rail.

Barnes and Carry were employed at the hard rock lead and zinc mine as shovelers and worked in the same drift. The quarrel was said to have started over who should use some empty ore cans. Perry Porter, county attorney, said he would not file charges against Carry until the outcome of Barnes' injury is determined.

A charge of murder was filed today against Ralph"Bud"Curry, 20 year old Cardin Oklahoma zinc miner, in connection with the death of Robert Barnes at the American hospital in Picher Oklahoma at 3 this morning of a fractured skull, Perry Porter, county attorney, said this morning.

Barnes was taken to the hospital Feb 18 with a skull injury, but knowledge that he had been hurt in a fight did not leak out until Wednesday, when Curry was arrested and held to await the outcome of Barnes' wound. Joe Anderson, watchman for the Golden Rod Mine No. 9, where both Curry and Barnes worked, said he had learned that the two men quarreled over possession of empty ore cans and that Curry struck Barnes with a three-foot section of narrow-gauge railroad iron after receiving a "cussing out." Anderson arrested Curry in Joplin Missouri. Blood and hair have been found on the piece of rail with which Curry is alleged to have struck Barnes. It is in the county attorney's possession. Curry this morning refused to discuss the fight or its outcome.

Barnes was 26 years old and is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lucille Barnes. Funeral arrangements have not been made. The Todd undertaking company, of Picher is in charge.

The funeral of Robert Barnes, 26 years old, West Third street, who died at a local hospital a week ago as the results of injuries received during an altercation with a fellow workman at the Golden Rod Mine No. 9, where both were employed as shovelers, was held at the chapel of the Todd undertaking company, of Picher at 2 this afternoon. The Rev. Billie Bain pastor of the First Baptist church officiated. Burial was in Park cemetery at Carthage Missouri.

Charging that the Evans-Wallower Mining Company did not provide a safe place to work as required by law a $32,835 damage suit was filed in Ottawa county Oklahoma district court at Miami this morning as compensation for the death of Robert Barnes, killed last February when a fellow worker struck him with a section of railroad iron. The plaintiff, Mrs. Lucille Barnes, asked $10,335 for the estate of the deceased and $22,835 as her personal loss as his wife.

Ralph "Bud" Curry is in the county jail now awaiting trial on a murder charge filled after Barnes death. The state will allege that Curry caused Barnes death by striking him on the head with the three foot section of iron during a quarrel over empty cans in the Golden Rod Mine No. 5, a property of Evans-Wallower Company.