The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-03-08
Tragedies of the WOOds-Fhe
Fate Of Five Lumbermem.

The Mechanical News.
A singular and lamentabIe history
of the events by which five young men
came TO their death in rapid success
sion has lately been given to the press
The locality of the occurrences men,
toned is at OF near MalIey's Mills,
Pa, near the New York line A cor,
respondent of the Times, writing from
Corning, n. Y, under date Of Janu-
AIRY l6, says that two years ago five
young men came from the woods of
Maine, where they followed the occu-
patton Of choppers, and found en-
ploymcnt in the lumber regions of
Pennsy Ivania, in the vicinity Of Nal
ley'5 Mills, They were George and
William jennings, brothers; Arthur
I'raley, Andrew Shalcross, and Hiram
Stephens. The first week they were
i'll the region George Jennings was
shaking" logs to roIj-way. As he
was engaged in fastening Il chain
around a large log, standing on the
lower side Of it as it lay on the top Of
a small hill, it was started in some
manner and before lie could get out
Of the way it knocked him down and,
rolling over him, crushed him to
death His father had been killed in
a similar manner in Maine. A few
months aflcrward, Arthur Fraloy and
William Jennings were hunting in the
woods near MaIIey's Mills. They had
shot Il deer and after loading their
guns, had walked up to where the deer
lay. FraIey stopped beside the deer
and Jennings stood behind him.
While they were in these positions
Jennings saw fawn come Ieaping
along the edge of the ridge close by
them He quickly cooked his gun.
The click Of the hammer caused Fra
ley to look up. Seeing the fawn he
rose quickly to his feet jennings
gun was discharged at the same in
stant, and the ball passed clear through |
FraIey's head, killing him instantly. |
A few weeks later Jennings was en-
gagged with others in driving logs,
and while he was breaking a jam the
jam gave way unexpectedly and he
was carried down with it and crushed
to death. After William Jennings
death Andrew ShaCToss declared that
he could not remain in such an APP
pareRtly fatal spot and he obtained
work in Potter county. Last week the
news was received that he had been
killed by falling tree.
Hiram Stephens was now the only
one alive of the five young lumbermen
who had come together to Pennsyl-
vania. He had remained at Mallcy's
Mills. Last week when he heard of
death, he resolved to re
turn to Maine. He had agreed to work
at the mills until the lst Of February,
and as his employer would not release
him before that time he made his ar
TO go when the time eX-
pired. Two weeks ago young man
named George Cough went to Nal
ey's Mill to work as Il tcamstCr. On
Monday last there was but little for
The teams to do, and as one of the
choppers was sick Cough was sent to
he woods to chop. He and Hiram
stephens went together. They wero
% work on "job" about three miles
rom the mills. Cough was a green
rand at chopping, and until about 2
o'clock in the afternoon he had simply
trimmed the branches from the trees
hat Stephens felled. Stephens had
ust felled a tree, and suggested to
Tough that he try his hand at one.
iough selected a mcdium-sized tree
ear by aud began chopping. Stephens
roceodcd to trim the one that he
ad feIIed, and paid no attention to
iough's work. After while he heard ,
iough shout to him to run, as the tree
'ould fall in such a way as to strike
i'm with Il branch Stephens started, !
arrying his axe in front Of him. He
ad taken but a few steps when he
and fell Cough was giving
ne last strokes Oh the tree with bis :
xc, and seeing that Stephens did not
sc after falling he ran TO his aid, for il
citing the danger from the tree. Be. f,
2re be reached Stephens the tree fell s
ith crash, and Gough was caught q
eneath tie very branch agattst hicb II
! had warned his companion. he II
IS pinned On bis back to the groabd, ii