Carnal, Spencer

Picher Oklahoma, Sept. 9.--Spencer Carnal, 54 years old, of Douthat Oklahoma, employed by the Century Milling Company, was killed shortly after 9 this morning when buried under a chat slide at a tailing mill at Admiralty Mine No. 3, two miles south of Picher. Carnal was working in a pit in the chat pile, running a "skip." He took a pick and walked up the side of the pit to loosen chat, it was said. A mass of chat broke loose, knocking Carnal into the bottom of the pit and covering him entirely. Workers at the mill rushed to his assistance and started to dig him out with their hands. They had uncovered him to the waist and were just about to free him from his predicament when another and larger slide occurred, covering Carnal again. His rescuers escaped the path of the avalanche.

In the meantime shovels had been brought to the rescuing party and six men started working violently to unearth the buried man. After seventeen minutes of shoveling, they found Carnal, but he was dead.

An ambulance from the Todd undertaking company, of Picher was called and a Pulmotor used on the suffocated man, but to no avail.

This is said to be the first fatal accident of this kind in the Picher district for many years. The rescuing party which dug out Carnal was composed of Earl Hand, James Martin, Charles Howell, Burl Smith, Lloyd McGuirk and Roy Loving.

Carnal leaves a widow and six daughters, Mrs. Edgar Hayes, Mineral Heights addition, Picher; Mrs. Henry Hanna, Douthat Oklahoma; Mrs. Bertha Tompkins, Misses Josie Carnal, Ruth Carnal and Frankie Carnal, all of the home address, and one son, Richard Carnal, also of the home.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed, although it is thought the services will be tomorrow afternoon at the home at Douthat Oklahoma.

Picher Oklahoma, Sept. 10.--The funeral of Spencer Carnal, 54 years old, who met his death yesterday when caught in a chat slide at the Admiralty Mine No. 3, was held from the family home at Douthat Oklahoma this afternoon at 2. Burial was in the Miami cemetery. The funeral was under the direction of the Todd undertaking company, of Picher. The deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Della Carnal, and seven children, four of whom reside at home. About twenty-five members of the Ku Klux Klan assembled at the Carnal home last night about 8 and placed a fiery cross upon the casket.

The Century Mining Company was named defendant in a suit for $25,000 damages filed Monday in Ottawa county Oklahoma district court at Miami by Mrs. Della Carnal, widow of Spencer Carnal, who was killed Sept. 9 when buried under a chat slide at a mill at Admiralty Mine No. 3, two miles south of Picher Oklahoma. At the time of the accident Carnal was operating a "skip."

The petition alleges that carelessness and negligence on the part of the Century Company was responsible for Carnal's death.

Besides his widow, Carnal left three minor children.