The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-26


Both Perish From a Fatal Gas Which
Collected in the Bottom, Were Found
the Next Day and Taken Out With Rope
and Hooks-Coroner's Jnry Render a
Verdict That Death Was Due to Damp.
Sunday morning Frank Moon and
Mrs. J. Bell were found dead in a well
on Moons farm three miles east of Der
by. The death Of the two was due to
well damp or carbonic acid gas, or a.
least the coroner's jury so decided al
the inquest held yesterday afternoon.
Moons body was hanging on a ladder
only about nine feet from the top OF the
well and Mrs. Bells body was on the
bottom lying on the right side curved
around the wall of the well, her neck
and ankle broken probably by the fall.
Coroner Rose and Deputy Sheriff
James Derr went down yesterday, sum-
moned a jury, held an inquest which re-
suited in decision 10 the effect that
the death Of the two Was accidental and
due TO damp" The bodies had been in
the well for probably twelve or thirteen
hours. Mrs Bells boy had been sent to
a neighbours the night before TO get
some rope and tools that Mr.. Moon
thought ne would need but had stayed
out quite late and fearing punishment,
such as he was accustomed TO receive
for staying out late. he slipped in and
haI nit. win hi IN mr.
looking for anybody. II being late he
did not know that me folks were not in
bed. In the morning when he got up
and found no one, he Immediately went
across the road 10 a neighb0r's, Mr.
Wardell, and told them that mis- mother
was gone and he did not know whc~s
Mr. Wardell then went TO the place al
once and in looking about he noticed
that the well was open. He knew that
it was Mr.. Moons habit 70 close the well
every night, so he investigated the mat
Ter. Mr.. Moons body being near the
surface, was plainly visible. But it was
early in the day and the sun shining on
a slant did not throw enough light into
the we'll TO enable Mr.. Wardel 10 see
to the bottom. He went TO the house
and got mirror and holding il so that
It reflected the suns rays into the bot
tom Of the hole he could plainly see the
body of Mrs. Bell. The news was soon
ail over the country and by noon proba-
bly, no less than 500 people had visited
the place.
The well was a big shaft from which
the water was drawn with bucket and
windlass pulley. In the long dry spell
it had gone dry and the supply of water
had never been sufficient for Mr..
Moons use even since the late heavy
rains. On this account Mr.. Moon had
undertaken 70 90 deeper. The old well
was about twenty-eix feet deep consid-
cradle part Of which was through a gyp-
sum formation. He went down and
bored a hole in the bottom with the in
tent 10 put in point and lift the water
wi IN a pump. He had finished the dig
ging Friday night and when he came
out. instead OF leaving the bored shaft
as he had been doing he left it open
and the water ran in some, which was
probably the cause of the collection OF
the deadly gas.
went down the next day. It is probable,
from the position in which he was found
that he got 10 the bottom of the well
and experiencing the suffocating sensa-
ton started 10 leave the well but was
overcome before he could get out and
fell. He was hanging with his head
down ana one OF his feet caught in the
ladder.
Mrs. Bell seeing him there. went down
10 help him and was also overcome by
the gas. She was lying on the bottom
of the well on her right side.
When Mr.. Wardell found the bodies
early in the morning he attempted u
put a lantern down into the hole but it
was quickly extinguished only nine feet
from the surface. About noon Al. Coon
in of the Eagle was on the ground and
when he attempted to lower lantern
into The well 1t was put out about six
feet from the top Of the ground. 50
that il is almost certain that the acct
dent occurred from the damp.
Ropes were Brought and the body Of
Moon was pulled out by looping the
rope around one of his feet. The body
OF Mrs Bell had to be taken out with
hooks. as no one dared 10 go down into
the place.
The affair is very sad. 1t leaves Mrs.
Bells little boy. years old, in the world
without a single relative of any connec-
ton. She was the wife Of James Bel
who died here several months ago. Bel
was a day laborer and came here from
Virginia He had no relatives and Mrs.
Bell had none. Last fail they drove
from Wichita TO West Virginia and re-
turned in a wagon. Shortly after they
came back he died from the effects OF
a cancer in the stomach. Bell had
worked for Moon several years in the
SOS and when her husband died Mrs.
Bell went TO keep house for Moon who
had been divorced from his wife some
time ago.
Mrs. Bell was about - or IS years old
and il was reported that she was 10
have been married as soon as her nus
band had been dead a year. though
nothing positive is known in this re-
gard
Moon was about S years old and re-
garded as good neighbor, though
trifie eccentric. That was all the faul;
anyone found with him. He had been
divorced from his wife Who is now Mrs.
George Atkinson Of this city. Mr.. and