Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1900-06-23
SATURDAY, JUNE %.
0ALENA,s MARSHAL KILLED,

| OALENA'S MAkSnAL NsLLEU'
Our citizens were terribly shocked
Tuesday night about 7:45 O'Clock
when the news was circulated that
City Marshal Milford Parker had
met his death while handling tel
ephone wire that had broken with
one end dangling over the sidewalk
at the northeast corner of Seventh
and Main streets says the Galena
Times. A numb Der of citizens wit
messed the awful sight and many
turned away their heads when they
saw the poor officer writhing in ag
onies of death, while others ran to
his assistance and to rescue his lit
tie four-year.old daughter, who was
toddling along behind her father
from a similar fate.
The particulars of the sad affair
as gathered from eye witnesses are
as follows: An independent tele
phone wire, the property of the
Southwest Missouri Electric Rail
way Co.. had broken and an end wat
hanging over the sidewalk. The
unfortunate officer took hold of II
and began to coil il up. He had
walked probably thirty feet, wher
suddenly he gave scream, his
arms flew up and he pitched oveI
into the gutter.
His little daughter, who was only
a few feet behind, ran to him
screaming that her papa was dead
W. Fl. Bosse ran and jerked heI
away to prevent her meeting death
also. Chas. Hopper attempted &c
extricate the unfortunate officer
from the wire and was knocked
down by a shock. In the meantime
Lee Bosse, a lineman for the tele
phone company, arrived upon tn.
scene. secured a stool, which ht
mounted, and cut the wire with
nippers.
DIR. +. B. Payne was the first ply
stefan to arrive at the scene, closely
followed by DIR. J. H. Green. But
the deadly wire had done it's work
and the soul of Milford Parker had
taken it's flight.
The iifeiess body was removed &c
Slough & Miller's undertaking par
lor. An examination of the body
revealed that the wire had burned
through the flesh of each hand to
bones. A large hole was burned
over the stomach and there was q
hole on the top of his right foot. in
dicating that the end of the wire
had struck him on the body and
sent a bolt of electricity down his
leg and il came out through his
foot. There was an abrasion of the
skin on the forehead. where hi
struck his head when he fell.
Coroner English was notified and
arrived here from Baxter about 0:3t
o'clock last night. He deferred
holding an inquest over his body
until this morning. After investi
eating the circumstances sur
rounding the affair, he deemed i
unnecessary to hold an inques
and ordered the undertakers TO pro
ceeed with the work of preparing
the body for burial.
1t ie generally believed that thu
telephone wire came in contact with
a fan wire, while the officer wat
coiling IL up and that il was no
charged when he fret took hold o
Il. Prior to taking II in his hand'
he attempted to knock the wir'
away with his cane, but could not
and taking hold with his handI
started down the street rolling /
up as already stated.
The deceased officer leaves u wi {
and three email children. thu
youngest a baby boy only abou
three months old. to mourn the losi
of devoted and loving companion
and father.
Milford Parker's career as mar
shall began in April, 1907. He wat
elected by plurality of II votes il
race with four other candidates
A year later he defeated Chas. L
Rains by a majority of 1853 and th'
year following the people agar
gave him a majority of 27S, aud las
April he was chosen for the fourth
time by majority of 1856. Prior Il
his election he had served the city
as deputy marshal for three or fouI
years. He had, therefore, seen ser
vice on the streets as an officer fo
seven or eight years. How well HI
filled the position is admirably
shown in the increasing Dajoritie'
by which the people elected him
In politics, Mr.. Parker was Demo
crat, though he regularly defeated
Republican nominees In a towr
which has always given Republic
an msjorities. Had he lived unit
next fall he would more than likely
have been the fusion nominee fol
Sheriff.