Obituary of BENNIE WAYNE MITCHELL, LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

Copied and Submitted by: Doug McBroom, 15520 Swan Lake Blvd., Gulfport, MS 
39503

From The Jena Times - Olla Tullos Signal; Jena, LaSalle Parish, La.  
Microfilm at the LaSalle Parish Library located in Jena, LaSalle Parish, La.

Many Thanks to The Times - Signal and to the LaSalle Parish Library for 
allowing the following to be added to the Archives.





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Date:  November 14, 1946

Headline:  Bennie Wayne Mitchell, Age 6, Killed Instantly Under Wheels of 
Truck at Midway Monday

Sub-headline:  Unavoidable Accident Verdict by Coroners' Jury After 
Investigation At Scene of Tragedy

Little Bennie Wayne Mitchell, age six, met instant death when he was crushed 
under the wheels of a truck as he was crossing the highway in Midway, at 
12:00 noon, Monday, November 11, Armistice Day.

Bennie Wayne was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Mitchell of Midway.  Mr. 
Mitchell operates Mitchells Garage at Midway.

According to witnesses the child was killed when he attempted to cross the 
highway and ran into a truck traveling west toward Alexandria.

The truck, a large red affair with float trailer, was driven by Henry 
Claybron, Negro, age 37, of Yazoo City, Miss., employed by a seed company of 
Yazoo City.

Julius Thomas, Negro, employed by a Brookhaven, Miss., seed farm, was also in 
the truck at the time but stated he failed to see the child.

Sheriff Floyd and deputies immediately notified Coroner Dr. D. L. Trax and 
went to the scene of the accident where Dr. Trax empaneled a jury and 
questioned witnesses and the two Negroes.

Claybron, in a statement to The Times said he tried to avoid the youth by 
pulling to the right.  He said he saw the boy last as the left fender passed 
him.

According to information the child was home from Good Pine School for lunch 
and had gone to a store across the street for cookies.  Upon leaving the 
store, witnesses testified at the inquest, the youth started diagonally 
across the highway toward his home, ran into the side of the truck and was 
thrown under the wheels.  Apparently, he had failed to see the approaching 
truck which, according to several witnesses, was traveling at a moderate rate 
of speed.

The Negroes were released with the truck and allowed to proceed on their way 
after a verdict of unavoidable accident was rendered by the coroner's jury.