Frie, William

William Frie, 22 years old, a miner living northwest of Thomas Station, about four miles northwest of Joplin Missouri, was killed almost instantly by a bolt of lightning that followed a steam pipe into the bottom of a 100-foot shaft at a mine in that vicinity during a storm about 5:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. H. Frizzell, his step-father, who was working in the ground with him, was badly shocked and Roy L. Fentz, living a mile west of Thomas Station, who was working on the top of the ground was dazed. The lightning bolt struck a boiler near the shaft, while Roy L. Fenix was shoveling coal in the fire. It is supposed that the lightning followed a steam pipe from the boiler, which leads to the bottom of the shaft.

William Frie, according to his step-father, who was working in the ground with him, was leaning against the north side of the shaft, down which runs the steam pipe, and exhaust pipe from a pump and a cable. The lightning entered his left arm, burning his left side, and passed through his body, emerging at his feet. He lived long enough to scream, "My God, Deacon I'm killed," and to repeat as he sank to the ground, "Yes, I'm killed."

Frie and Frizzell had been working in the shaft since 2 in the afternoon. They were at work setting a pump on a platform at the bottom of the shaft when the bolt struck. Frizzell was preparing to dig a hole for the platform and his step-son was leaning against the side of the shaft, holding back the cable of the can.

Frizzell's story of the affair last night was disconnected, as he still was suffering from the effects of the lightning. "All I know," he said, "was that I had just struck a blow with my pick when an explosion came and fire seemed to fly all around us. I didn't know what had happened, but it flashed through my mind that I had struck a dynamite cap. Then I heard my boy crying that he had been killed.

When Frizzell had somewhat recovered from the shock and was able to regain his feet, he placed Frie into the can and signaled the hoisterman, Feniz, to draw the tub to the top. Frizzell, his voice shaken with emotion, described the scene at the bottom of the mine, when he endeavored to place his step-son into the tub. The weight of the body, the grief over the death and the weakening effect of the lightning shock all made it almost a superhuman task to get the young man into the tub, Frizzell said.

Fenix, after drawing the body to the top and drawing Frizzell out of the shaft, summoned an ambulance of the Hurlbut undertaking company and called Dr. H. A. Leaming. Dr. Leaming examined the body during the trip to Joplin.

Frie, who would have celebrated his first wedding anniversary May 31, was knocked unconscious by lightning when he was 14 or 15 years old. Since that time he had been afraid of an electrical storm and often had expressed his fear to his ten brothers and sisters. He had been living at his parents' home. He had been working in the mines from boyhood.

Besides his wife, Marie Frie, and his step-father and mother, Frie is survived by two brothers, four sisters, one half-brother and three half-sisters. The brothers are Frank Frie and George Frie, and Irving Frizzell, half-brother; sisters, Mrs. Alice Simmons, Duenweg; Mrs. Ruby Brown, Thomas Station; Anna Frie, at home; Ruth Brown, at home; Sylvia Frizzel, Alpha Frizzell and Amadell Frizzell, half-sisters, at home. Note: burial at the Miller Cemetery, Duquesne, Jasper County, Missouri.

Dr. R. M. Stormont, corner, will conduct an inquest at the chapel of the Hurlbut undertaking company at 8 tonight. A jury will be empaneled.

The mine at which the tragedy occurred is managed by C. L. Martin of Joplin Missouri. It is operated by a small group of Joplin Missouri men. Fenix is a brother of Frank Fenix of Joplin, chief mine inspector for Missouri.