Thompson, Vernard

Vernard Thompson, aged 19, and Almon King, aged 21, were killed late yesterday afternoon, Oct 22, 1917, a short time after they started to work as hard rock lead and zinc shovelers, in the Big Chief Mine west of Picher Oklahoma. While at work in a draft a slab fell from the roof and instantly killed them. The body of Thompson was badly mangled. The miners recently went to Picher from their home in West Plains Missouri. Arrangements are being made by the Todd undertaking company, of Picher to send the bodies to their former home.

Just an hour after they started to work Monday afternoon, Vernard Thompson, 19 and Alman King, 21, were killed by a falling boulder, which crushed and mangled Thompson's body considerable. The men went into the drift at 2 o'clock and at 3 the boulder fell from the roof, killing them. They were employed in the Big Chief Mine, near Picher Oklahoma. The men were from West Plains Missouri. The bodies were turned over to the Todd undertaking company, of Picher and prepared for burial, after which they were sent to their former homes for interment.

Two damage suits, $25,000 each, were filed in the Ottawa county Oklahoma district court at Miami against the Big Chief Mining Company. Both were filed by the parents of two young men, Almon King and V. C. Thompson, who were killed in the mine. The petition alleges that the men were killed through negligence of the company who did not properly support the roofs of the drift. Both young men were shovelers in the hard rock lead and zinc mine and were working at the time of the accident which took their lives.