Obituary of Robert Whatley, LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

Copied and Submitted by :Kathy LeMay Kelly, P.O. Box 219, Trout, La. 71371

From The Jena Times - Olla Tullos Signal; Jena, LaSalle Parish, La.
Micro-film 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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Thursday, June 18, 1936

WHATLEY BOY IS KILLED HERE BY LOG TRUCK

Either Falls of Is Thrown From Vehicle Near J.N. Coleman Store

Funeral services were held at the family residence in Trout on Wednesday
afternoon for Robert Whatley, 16 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Whatley,
whose untimely death occured on Tuesday afternoon at 4:45 o'clock when he fell
or was thrown from a truck lad of logs near the J.N. Coleman store in Jena.
Interment followed in the Tidwell cemetery near Nebo with Rev. R.H. Bridges,
pastor of the Trout-Good Pine Baptist church officiating.

Young Whatley was riding on top of the load of logs which were being hauled by
Clyde Richardson, a driver for Irvin Lunsford. He had made a trip to White
Hall section with Richardson and had elected to ride on top of the logs on the
way back. According to witnesses Richardson was atempting to pass a wagon
driven by J.D. Manchester, of Jena, when it was necessary that he swerve his
truck from the pavement. In doing so he hit an electric light post, breaking
the chains around the logs and throwing Whatley to the paved road. Witnesses
were not sure whether the logs fell on him but he suffered a broken neck, a
fractured skull and internal injuries his death coming instantly.

A coroner's jury was convened by Dr. J.A. Gaharan, parish coroner, at the
Kinner and Stevens funeral home where the body had been conveyed late Tuesday
afternoon. Three of the coroner's jury W.J. Hailey, W.H. Bishop and H.T.
Edwards rendered a verdict that the unfortunate young man came to his death on
account of "negligent homicide by the hands of Clyde Richardson while
operating a logging truck for Irving Lunsford." The other two jurors L.L.
Drewet and O.D. Blevins rendered a verdict of accidental homicide at the hands
of Clyde Richardson while operating a logging truck of Irving Lunsford."

Sheriff Barlow Thompson stated Wednesday that no arrest had been made in the
case and that his office was awaiting advice from the parents of Young Whatley
before preceeding in the case.