Smitherman, Jerry L.

Jerry Smitherman, a popular young hard rock lead and zinc miner working in the McConnell Mine, was accidentally killed Wednesday morning between 3:00 and 4:00 o'clock. He, in company with a fellow workmen came up out of the mine to fix a pump. Jerry's lamp was blown out by the wind, evidently just as he started across the derrick frame of an open shaft. It is highly probable that he missed his footing with the quenching of his lamp and his body was sent headlong to the bottom of the shaft, 228 feet. At the bottom of the shaft was a frame box like affair, called a "dog house. A place for the workmen to change clothing and clean up." The body crashed through the "dog house" with such force it was necessary to demolish the floor in order to extricate the unfortunate victim of the accident.

The remains were brought to town and placed in the undertaking rooms of Millner and Fribley, Miami, for embalming and word was sent to the young man's parents at Mena Arkansas. The deceased was about 25 years of age and unmarried. His home was in Mena Arkansas, from which place he came to Miami about five months ago. He was of a jovial disposition and gained friends easily. He was very popular among his fellow workmen and all who knew him. The young man's parents arrived here Thursday morning and the remains were taken back to Mena for burial.

$10,000 for the death of their son, J. L. Smitherman, is sought in a suit filed against the trustees of the Barnes Mining Company by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Smitherman, of Mena Arkansas, Saturday in Ottawa county Oklahoma district court at Miami. He fell 228 feet to his death in a shaft when he stumbled into a shaft on the property of the company near Miami, according to the petition. The company is blamed for its negligence.