The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-06-20
The Commercial, Union City, Tenn.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1919.
Accidental Death.

Accidental Death.
The sudden death last Monday,
the 18th inst, at $3.50 a. M, of Jas.
Oswald, son of Mr.. and Mrs. G.. w.
Phebus, Jr., of this city, was a dis
tinct shock to the family and friends.
James Oswald Phebus was A years
of age Feb. 5, 1919. He and his
older brother, Leonard, were engaged
on their fathers farm south of the
city in plotting a farm tractor, which
Mr.. Phebus has been using on the
farm and in blowing.
The machine has been in constant
use for a number of days. Oswald
was operating in the day time and
Leonard at night. Saturday night
they did not work. So en- Monday
morning Mr.. Phebus sent Leonard
out with Oswald to assist in laying
off land for the days work. Leonard
started the tractor and ran into a
marshy place, which appeared to be
firm. The tractor trucks sank in
the mud and the machine stalled.
The position of the machine with
the tractors in the mud must have
been at least at an angle of As de-
grees. To be specific the front drive
was 3S inches above level with the
tractor trucks in the mud hole. 1t
was a sunken place washed in the
field by the heavy rains, ct the foot
of two lines of tile running from an
giles across the land to a point at
this place. The boys were warned
by the superintendent of the farm
not to take the tractor there. Leon
ard was driving the machine and he
was in the seat when it stalled.
Without unlocking the pillow Leonard
made several unsuccessful Attempts
to start the tractor. Then he got
down and started to get a spade. He
called to Oswald who came and in
sisted on trying to start the tractor.
He got a couple CT rails and placed
them under the front side of the big
tractor trucks. Then Oswald got up
in the seat and, asking Leonard to
crank the tractor, gave it a full
charge of gasoline. The rails under
the tractor trucks evidently failed
to supply the necessary traction for
the fianges, but wedged the trucks in
the mud. Result then of the action
of the tractor when Oswald gave it
the gasoline was to crane the machine
and the plow and tractor, already in
V-shape position, came together
like a clamp, pinning the boy under
the driver. He was killed instantly.
His shoulder bone was broken, his
chest bruised and his abdomen
crushed in.
Mr.. Rust and some other gentle
men proceeded to release the boy
from the machine. They unlocked
the pillow and raised the tractor off
of the body and helped to carry it to
a car, when the little fellow was
taken home to the grief-stricken
family.
After this was done and the tractor
righted again Mr.. Rust and his as
sistants removed the rails and started
the tractor out of the mud under its
own power.
James Oswald was a pupil of the
Union City High School and men,
Der of the junior graduating class of
10. He was bright, manly fellow.
His determination to keep the tractor
going was characteristic of his in
itiative, but he apprehended no dang
or. He was we'll known among his
associates and a favorite playmate.
Oswald profeesed religion in the
meeting here at the First Christian
church, while Rev. Baker was preach
ing and he became a member of the
church. He was fine boy, and
would no doubt have grown to be
useful and influential citizen but
for this sudden misfortune.
Deceased is survived by his parents,
his sister, Mary Forte, and his broth
ers, Leonard and Wright,Jr.
Funeral services were held at the
First Christian Church Tuesday af-
ternoon at o'clock, conducted by
Rev. j. Randall Farris. Interment |
took place at East View, with the
following pail bearers: Dickie Turn |
er, Howard Arnold, Newman Glover,
Chas. s. Talley, Jr., Eugene Camp
bell, Wallace Stone