Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-22
Men in FraterviIIe Mine
Send Messages
of Love.
ARE SAD REVELATIONS
Found in the Writings
Lining Grave--ReCov-
ing Bodies.

Coal Creek. Tenn. May 2..-Tho de
tails that are coming out of the Suf-
ferings of the men Imprisoned in the
Fratervillc mine Monday are heart
rending. The way these pathetic facts
are coming out is through letters found
on the bodies of the dead. shut on
from light and air. with sure death
creeping nearer each hour. John Hen
don, j. l.. Vowel. james Brooks and
George Hudson, miners, wrote fare
wells To their loved ones on scraps Of
paper with stubs Of pencils. They lived
from y n. III. To about 3 l.. III. Monday
in this tomb. Gradually the air grew
worse. The miners lights died out.
Then slowly the sparks OF life flick
cred out. The last word was written
nj 2:2I. At that time but few of the
party huddlCd behind Il brattice in
entry II were alive. y few moments
later there was 10 life in the tomb.
Letter from IA Dying Man.
Among forty bodies located late
Tuesday night were those of Hendou.
Vowel, Brooks and Hudson. This is
NOwelrs letter 10 his wife when he
knew that death was nigh: We are
shut up i'll the head of the entry. with
4 little air ana bad air coming on US
fast. 1t is now about l. o'clock. Dear
Ellen. have 40 leave You in bad con-
ditiOn. Now, dear wife. put Your trust
in the Lord to help YOU and my little
children. Ellen, take care of my little
darling, Lille. Little Ebert said he
had trusted i'm the Lord. Charles
Woods says that he is safe in heaven,
and if he never sees the outside again
lac will meet his mother in heaven.
We are not hurt. hut only periShing
for want of air. There are but Il few
of lis here. ana | don't know where
the ether men are. Ebert his SOnJ
said for YOU all to meet him in heaven.
r"H RI" children to meet with us both
DO the best you can with the chill
drcn. We are all praying for air To
support us. hut it is getting 50 bad.
Howard. Ebert said for YOU to wear
his shoes ana stockings. Ellen, l want
Won To live right and come to heaven.
Raise the children the best you can.
Oh, how l wish TO be with you, Good
by. goOd-by. Bury me ana Ebert in
the same grave. My little Eddie. good
by; Jimmie. good-by; good-by. Horace.
Ii is twcnty-Sevcn minutes after >.
There are 4 few of us alive yet. oh,
God. for one more breath. Ellen. re-
member me rs long as you live. Good
by, darling"
Brooks, Hudson and Hendon.
IIObkS NIble. Dear W ne ann i u
by: | want To 20 back home and kiss
the baby, but cannot. Good-by. | am
going To heaven. Meet me there"
HudSon'S message was: TO George
HudSon's wife: If l don't see YOU any
more bury me with the clothing
have. l want you to meet me in
heaven. GoOd-by. 10 as you wish"
Hcndon'S last words We're:
Dear. Darling Mother ana Sister: 1
am going to heaven. l want you all
to meet me i'm heaven. Tell all your
friends TO meet me there. and tell the |
church ! have gone to heaven. Tell |
my friends not to worry over me, for |
i ann i'm sight of heaven. oh, dear. !
stay mt home or ut your fathers. and |
pay all debts. if possible. and bury |
me at Pleasant Hill if il suits you all. |
Bury me in black. 1t is now about |
l 80 o'clock. Good-by. dear father. |
mother. brother and friends. l have |
not suffered much"
The lost number 22T, which * every |
soul except one who was in the mine. |