The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-07-08
Crushed Under Falling Tree.


TINS place last Friday afternoon
Harry Sykes was struck by falling
pine tree and pinned to the ground
receiving injuries from which he
died within half an hour after being
rescued. The mule Sykes was rid
ing, together with the one at his side.
were also crushed by the tree and
dlod almost Instantly.
Harry and Walter Sykes. cousins,
We're working ut the logging camp of
j. f. Wells i'll the neighborhood of
the accident. In the afternoon a
heavy thunder storm came up and
Mr.. Wells and these young men laid
off from work and sought shelter in
the nearby camp where they remain
ed until after the storm had subsidized.
Then they started back to work
Harry Sykes riding one of the mules
OF team, while Mr.. Wells and Wal
ter Sykes followed some distance in
| the rear,
Mr.. Wells states that after they
had gotten some distance in the
woods they heard the noise and look
ing ahead saw the swaying of tree
near to where Harry Sykes was rid
ing his team. They called to him to
look out" but he appeared not to
hear them. Next they saw that the
tree fell directly across his path, pin
ming Sykes and the mules to the
ground. They rushed to his assist
ance and with difficulty got Sykes
from under the tree. He was uncon-
sciOus, but soon revived. Hurredly
getting a horse and wagon Mr.. Wells
told the injured man that they would
take him to Crescent City, which
sykes protested would do no good as
he would die before they could get
him there. Lifting the injured man
into the wagon they made him as
comfortable as possible. and started
for this place. Sykes remained con-
scious for a little time, then lapsed
INTO cOmatose state and died before
a mile of the journey had been made.
I His body was brought here and turn
| u over TO Undertaken Torrpy.
Harry Sykes was y years of ag,
and the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Stephen
sykes who live on Haw Greek. h.
| b. Bethel, who lives near whore the
accident occurred Immediately set
out to notify the parents and Capt,
| JmO. Pigue went to the head of the
lake where the other Sykes boys.
brothers of Harry, were at work Oh
a log puIler and notified them, and
the entire family got here that night,
| rhe body was taken to San MateO on
the steamer May Haw Saturday
morning where it was buried in the
family lot.
No examination was made OF
Sykes injuries except those which
were apparent to Undertaken Torrey
who prepared the body for burial,
He states that the left leg was brok-
EN- between the hip and knee, and
| that the ribs were broken and the
| hip bone on the right side, together
with serious injuries about the head
and neck. His death was undoubt-
edly due to internal injuries. No i'll
quest was considered necessary as
/ death was caused as above rccit-
ed and there were witnesses to TIE
| horror.
At the time the tree fell there was
no wind aud the storm had passed
over. The rains had washed the
earth away from the roots of the tree
which had rotted and which happen
ed to part at just the right time t.
cause this fatality.
The father of Walter Sykes, who
witnessed the awful death of his
cousin, was killed some years ago III
similar manner,
Those who knew Harry Sykes best
say he was Il cheerful, big hearted
and industrious young man, Whost
wages went largely for the support
of his parents, to whom The sympa-
thy of the people is generally extend