Mulkey, Earl

One of the saddest happening that ever occurred in the history of Joplin Missouri, was that of yesterday evening when Earl Mulkey, the little son of George Mulkey, was dragged from a shallow shaft, cold in death. Since the death of Mrs. Mulkey, the mother of the child, the father and son have been living with the eldest daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Boswell, at the corner of Thirteenth street and grand avenue. Yesterday afternoon about 4 o'clock, Mr. Mulkey returned from the mines and told his daughter he intended taking Earl, his son, to Kansas City on the 12:45 Pacific to visit friends for a few days, and that if she would get him ready he would take him up town and get his hair cut. Mrs. Boswell called for Earl, who had just left the house a few minutes before, but received no answer. A search then began, and it was only a few minutes until Mrs. Boswell spied the small box, with which Earl had left the house, floating on the water of an old shallow shaft about one block and a half from the house, and fearing the worst she called a colored man to her assistance, and with the aid of a pole pulled from the shaft the remains of the child.

The shaft was only five feet deep and the surface water, caused from recent rains had filled the shaft to within eighteen inches of the top. It is supposed the little fellow had put his box on the water and was floating it around when he accidentally slipped in, and being entirely alone was unable to extricate himself from his perilous position and was drowned. Earl was a bright little fellow, and was not yet six years of age, and was the pride and joy of his father, who is heartbroken over the sad event. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at the Fairview Cemetery, Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri.