Cherokee County GaArchives News.....A Terrible Accident One Man Killed and Four Others Badly Hurt  April 22, 1887
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Meredith Clapper http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00012.html#0002801 January 31, 2022, 3:15 pm

The Cherokee Advance (Canton, GA)   22  April 1887 P 3 April 22, 1887
A Terrible Accident
One Man Killed and Four Others Badly Hurt

Some time since Capt. Jno B. Richards, of Ophir, took the contract to build a 
new church house (Missionary Baptist) at Macedonia, in this county, to cost 
something near $1200 and be built in modern style. The new church site was 
located just across the road from the old one, between the residences of J. P. 
Smith and Capt. J. J. Maddox, near Orange. He had begun work on it and had the 
framing and nearly all the rafters up, and last Wednesday was securing the 
rafters to their places, when, about half past one o'clock, a heavy wind from 
the south blew the rafters against each other causing all to fall towards the 
north end. At the time there were seven men on the building at work-five at the 
north end and two at the south end. When the rafters fell four of the five men 
were caught in between the rafters and fastened to the house; the fifth man was 
knocked through an opening to the ground floor where he fell across the 
sleepers, breaking his back and striking his head a fearful blow. The two men at 
the south end-Bill Tanner and Vestus Martin-were not hurt. 
FRANK ROPER-the man who fell through-only lived about thirty minutes and died in 
great agony. He spoke only a few words after falling through and that was to his 
fellow laborers that his back was surely broken. He was a man about forty years 
of age, and had a wife but no children. His home was in Forsyth county, near 
Friendship church, where he followed contracting and blacksmithing. 
Those who were caught in the timbers were Capt. John B. Richards, Geo Lathem, 
jr., W. B. Wilson, and Squire Strickland, col. All were badly hurt, but none of 
them thought to be serious.
CAPT. RICHARDS was badly mashed across his chest and small of back, about the 
kidneys. 
GEORGE LATHEM, Jr., had his thigh broken.
W. B. WILSON was mashed pretty badly in several places. 
SQUIRE STRICKLAND'S hips were caught between the falling timbers and he was 
pretty badly hurt. 
In the excitement and consternation of the moment Capt. Richards and Mr. Lathem, 
after being released, got down off the building themselves. The other two had to 
be taken down. 
All have been carried to their respective homes where they are receiving the 
best attention possible. 
Drs. W. E. Evans and J. M. Price, of this county, and Dr. Strickland, of 
Cumming, were soon present and did all in their power to relieve the suffering. 
They stated that while all four were no doubt badly hurt, yet they thought 
nothing fatal would result therefrom. 
The accident is, of course, greatly regretted by all but we no (sic) not suppose 
any one was to blame.
Our sympathy is especially tendered the widowed and those so badly hurt. We 
trust those who were hurt may speedily recover.  	

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