Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-08-03
CUSTER CITY. SOUTH DAKOTA SATURDAY, AUGUST g. 1907
MEETS HORRIBLE DEATH.

MEETS HORRIBLE DEATH.
Fred G. Scofleld Meets With Fatal Accl
dent at his Saw Mill Five Miles
East Of Custer.
One of the saddest and most horrible
accidents that has happened in the
Southern Hills for some time was that
which caused the death of Fred G. SEQ.
field. The accident occurred shortly be-
fore noon last Tuesday at his saw mill
five miles east of Custer, and was caused
by the explosion of what is supposed to
have been defective boiler. The par.
ticulars of the sad accident as learned
from Mr. Theodore Shoemaker are as
follows: Mr.. Scofield and Mr.. Shoe
maker were sitting on log in the rear
of the mill engaged in conversation
about matters pertaining to the scaling
of some logs. When Mr.. Scofield arose
to go to work in the mill the ex-
plosion took place. He was struck
by the boiler and thrown a dis
tance of about II feet across the skid.
way, and instantly killed. His head was
nearly severed from his body, his arms
and shoulders broken in several places,
and other parts of his body lacerated
and bruised. Mr.. Shoemaker was
| thrown distance Of about 20 feet and
received painful bruises on his left
hand, arm and leg. Just how he escap-
ed from meeting the same fate as Mr.. |
Scotield is a mystery. The engineer, |
Mr.. K. j. Turner of Pringle, and the
younger Scofeld, Roy, both of whom
were standing near the boiler when the
explosion occurred, received but slight
injuries the former two flesh wounds
on his head, and the latter few bruises
on his leg. The boiler carried about 30
pounds of steam at the time of the ex-
posion, and was carried distance ofl
about l30 feet. The coroner's jury re
turned a verdict to the effect that Mr..
Scofield had met his death by accident,
and that no blame attached to anyone ofl
the employees at the mill.
VERDICT OF JURY.
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA,
COUNTY OF CUSTER, 'o' Is
An inquisition holden at scofield's
saw mill in Custer county, State CfSouthI
Dakota, on the 30th day of July, A. D.
1907, before John McFadden, coroner Of s
said county, upon the body Of Fred SEQ.
field there lying dead, by the Jurors
whose names are hereto subscribed the
said Jurors upon their oaths do say that
they viewed the remains of Fred Sco- q
field now lying dead before the jury
that he came 10 his death by an explo. I
sion Of the boiler of the mill which be i
was then operating, said explosion be-
ing accidental and no blame being at
tached to anyone Of the employees of the !
mill, the boiler being defective causing c
the explosion y
In Testimony Whereof the said Jur-
ors have hereunto set their hands, the
day and year aforesaid.
ALBERT HEUMANN, "
WYLY MORRIS s
FRED l.. DUNN,
Jurors.
Attest: s
JOHN McFADDEN, r
Coroner of Custer county. a
The funeral took place Thursday af-
noon at 8 o'clock from the Methodist
church. The services were under the :
auspices of the local Masons, Mr.. SEQ.
ield having affiliated with Custer City
Lodge No. GO, A. F. & A. M, some
months ago. Rev. John w. Lucas
preached the funeral sermon. The re- l
mains were then taken to the Custer
followed by large concourse d
Of mourning friends, and there duly en- .
cred with all the honors and beautiful
ties and ceremonies of the Masonic 1
,rder.
Frederic c. Scofeld was born in Can Il
steo New York, March Goth, 1850. In y
S57 he moved with his parents to Little
sioux, Iowa. He was married to Ella b
on January Goth, 1877, at Little b
'iouy. To this union were born nine d
two of whom died in infancy f
md one at three years of age. The b
'ther six are Jesse W., Mrs. Kate Nc.
Moran, Charles, Roy and Mary of Gus. p
er, and Mrs. Eirene Brandhorst, who +
esides at Milford, Nebraska. The fam
ly moved to Nebraska in 1886 where u
hey remained until 1900, when they T
moved to Wyoming. In April, 1906,
hey came to Custer. Deceased leaves
o mourn, besides his wife and children, =
me brother who resides in David City, =
Neb., and two sisters, one at Little
Sioux, Iowa, and the other at Chadron,
Neb.
Mr.. Scofield was man who was
veil liked by those whom business or
work threw in his company. His death
will be regretted by many, and all those
Who knew him will offer their heartiest
to his surviving family and
relatives.