Ray County, Missouri - Ray County Conservator transcription: James & Brown Overcome By Smoke

1895
Ray County Conservator

Suffocated In A Mine.
William James and Ben Brown Overcome by Smoke and Gas in the Randall Mine - The Death of James.

Last Friday morning, just about the time the news of the tragic death of David Whitmer was
brought to town, another fatal accident occurred, but the victim was not discovered until
twenty-four hours later.
William James was the lessee and operator of the Randall mine, one mile northeast of town.
Last Friday morning, in company with Ben Brown, a miner in his employ, he went down into the
mine with the intention of spending the day in digging coal. A fire was started in the furnace
near the bottom of the shaft, but as the atmosphere was damp and heavy on top the fire did not
burn well, the smoke filling he mine instead of going up the air shaft.

The men started back to the face of the coal after lighting the fire, but had only gone a short
distance when they were overcome by the smoke and "white damps." James turned toward the shaft,
while Brown groped his way toward the face of the coal. James reached the shaft, but was
destined to never reach the top alive.

They failed to return home of Friday evening, but as they frequently staid out all night
nothing was thought of it. About ten o’clock on Saturday morning Ben Randall, who owns the
mine, was passing the shaft, and with a boy’s curiosity could not resist the temptation to
look down. He saw a body laying across the cage at the bottom of the shaft and at once gave
the alarm.
A large crowd soon collected at the shaft. Richard Winters was one of the first mines on the
scene and at once volunteered to go down and get the body. When he descended and brought the
body up it was found to be that of James. It was known that Brown had gone to work with James,
and plans were at once set on foot to recover his body if dead, and to rescue him if alive.

Dozens of strong limbed and hardy miners at once offered to go down and search for the missing
man. Richard Winters, Willis Douglass, Chas. Weston and George Stevens finally made the descent
and began the search. In about fifteen minutes a shout came up from the bottom, and in answer
to questions the searchers announced that they had found Brown and that he was alive. He was
slowly hoisted to the top, where tender hands lifted him from the cage and a strong stimulant
was given him. He was very weak, but able to talk, and stated that when he and James parted the
latter had attempted to climb the ladder, but had been overcome and fell back upon the cage and
died. When the searching party reached Brown he was just recovering consciousness and said,
"Boys, I have been asleep a long time." He was at once taken to his home and given proper
medical attention and will son recover.
Coroner Dove, who was in town, was notified of the accident of James and was soon on the scene.
A jury was at once selected and an inquest and postmortem examination held. No new facts were
developed and a verdict in accordance with the above facts was rendered.

William James was a native of Wales and had been a resident of Richmond only about a year. He
had quite a reputation as a light weight pugillst and an all ‘round sport. His remains were
interred in the city cemetery Sunday afternoon.


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