Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-03-21
"s:7 R FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF GLOBE ===~
TERRIBLE DEATH
 IF MINING MAN
Tries to Clinch Eliminating Cap Over Fuse With Teeth and It Explodes in His Mouth--Dies Several Hours Later on Way to Tucson for Treatment.

I'm done for. Take charge of the camp and send me to town.
 Suffering frightful agony, Lester l. Walden, superintendent of the Purcell properties in the Sierrita mountains scrubbed this message at noon Friday says the Tucson Citizen.
 Three hours later while en route to Tucson in an improvised ambulance he breathed his last That he should have survived his injuries at all is consid cred marvellous, for Illuminating cap exploded in his mouth, causing gap ing wound. Death was due to exhaus- tion following loss of blood.
 The Purcell properties are located thirty five miles south of Tucson, They are removed that distance from tele. phone or telegraph and to secure medi cal attendance it was necessary to either send to Tucson or to bring the injured on.
 Deferring to his wishes, this was done Walden, however, although he was a magnificent physical specimen, died when the wagon was eight miles out oi camp en route to Tucson.
 There was no eyewitness to the fatal ity. but it was evidently one of the kind that stares all prospectors and veteran miners in the face when they grow care less in their handling of deadly explo sives.
 1t is the supposition that Walden had taken the Illuminating cap and had en. deavored to clinch it over a fuse with his teeth. In some manner 1t is sup. posed the cap exploded, tearing great hole in the roof of his mouth
 The noise of the exploding cap at tracted laborers about the camp, who immediately rushed to Walden s side They found him lying on the floor with blood streaming from his wounds
 IL was with difficulty that he could gasp the words: " Bring me some pa per quick. v
 His command was obeyed immediate ly and the fatally injured mining man scrubbed the words given above. The note was addressed to Gus Holstein. a miner at the camp.
 No time was lost in securing wagon and making as easy bed as possible in the wagon box with quilts and blan- kets and the start was made for Tue. son.
 Walden was still conscious and was apparently in great agony. He groaned constantly, although everything possible was done to alleviate his sufferings, which became so intense that eventual ly he seemed to lose his mind and began to rave.
 He became rapidly weaker and passed away on the road to Tucson about twen- ty-fye miles southwest of this city. The remains were brought in last evening.
 Walden was 32 years old and was unmarried He has been in this country for about three years. His home is in Saline county, Missouri
 Instances are not infrequent in min ing countries where miners meet hor. rible deaths in the same manner that Walden was fatally hurt. In firing a charge it is necessary to use fuse and Illuminating cap. These caps contain illuminate of mercury, They are set off by powder fuse and their detonation sends of the dynamite charge. It is necessary to clineh the end of the cap ovar tbo fuSa and minors aceustomnd to handlin explosives grow careless and frequently clinch the ends of the cap with their teeth. Instances are on rec ord of similar accidents where similar explosions have blown of the heads of miners.