Year: 1875

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Sept "A, 1875.


The melancholy death of Lester Sykes-it Is hardly
too strong TO call it murder-at the bottom OF John
Coden's in fated WELL West Springfield was realized
as absolute fact at thirty i've minutes past eleven
O'Clock this forenoon when the silent presence of
nearly 1000 spectators crowding up the prescribed
circle the body of the doomed raised from the
| bottom Of the well in which he was suddenly buried
nearly forty hours previous by the csvng in Of the
earth upon him.


The scene during the long weary hours OF last night
third Of the victims Imprisonment tho work Of re-
leasing him went on, solemnly impressive and a
huge bonfire and two locomotive shed lurid
light the spot casting deep shadows against tho
neighboring hills and woods and lighting up the pale
and anxious faces of the thousand persons who
watched and waited and hoped Indeed the anxiety
not confined TO the large crowd Of spectators for
throughou this city last evening the oneope Of CONVEX
saion at the tea table and the street the terrible
burial and taTdy slow, dragging over the river
Every felt most deeply tho exceeding pity that
within three miles Of the city Of Springfield a
should be allowed TO die hearing for than twenty
four hours the sound Of human voices and the labor OF
human hands and almost the throbbng Of human hearts,
all speaking and working for him, bat unable for lack
Of decent direction to avert his horrible fate Not few
tho harsh comments made upon the negligence,
inaction and instruction Of the town authorities and
others whose duty It manifestly at the very be-
ginning to have taken efficient for the unfortu
nate mans rescue 1t is exaggeraton to say that
the feeling throughout this community is very Bit
ter the terrible bunging and the universal
dict is that squad of professional dggers which could
easily have been obtained in this city for the asking
where several work the direction of skfuI
contractors would havo dug that in five houra
! time, and have got him out alive


WORK THE REscUERs
| But return work OF the rescueEs mid
night the who working a tunnel toward him.
thought they had reached the body but it proved
mistake and shortly this plan like several others be-
fore 1t when almost carried out abandoned and
the men let down in bucket two al time into
the well ITSELF and began digging the dirt away over
the doomed man Tho uphfted hand which grasped
the fatal ladder reached by workmen about
three NJ piece Of lumber lay upon
IT. and IL much discolorcd short time showed
that the reacherous sand had gradually sfted


Inflated man. filing the at first open space about him.
nclosng his body as in a mould. and doubtless ending
his torture by sunocaton Tho work Of releasing the
body proceeded with diligence but the miners
now below the curhing and unprotected from the
smooth deceul sand which they had learned at such
cost to fear


POSITION


The body in the position In which Mr. Calden
the owner of the well, had predicted It would be





bottom of the well and twenty nino feet below the
face Of the earth the ladder having been suspended
that 1t did not reach the bottom OF the well by about
foot and half This foot and half It probably sank
during the forty hours that bore the weight of
him whom 1t intended to save. About eight
O'Clock this morning rope placed about
! the body and effort made TO raise it.
but it still remained firmly wedged The crowd surge
down into the outer excavation, but ordered back





of freshly moved EARTH which had to 100 feet in
diameter. The authorities had difficulty in stay
ing the tide Of curiosity seekers until a PALE tired
miner came and said 30 the Multitude 1--WE are work
ing several feet below the curng and are unprotected
your tread in the vicinity shakes sand below and
puts us in danger" His request needed and there
after the crowd stood back out Of regard for heroes
| IN the well AT i've minutes past eleven the miners
! came up, the tools removed and the men stood
by the pulley rope for the purpose OF making another
| trial 70 raise the body.


RAISING THE BODY


The interest of the crowd was intense The Rev. Mr.
Pomeroy then stepped below the amphtheatre and re-
quested every spectator TO stand his place when the
body removed and that there be no confusion A
few minutes later amid awe and silence ten men
strained the ropes which descended the
depths But the effort in vain of the body
still was wedged in immovably Several men went
down again and more buckets of earth up Sickles
were brought and made ready and thon was brutally
suggested the shocking alternative OF cutting OF tho
pnioned leg and releasing at once the feless body
and the living workmen from the precarous place But
thanks TO better humanity aud the objection OF Mr.
sykes orother, VINO was present, the suggestion
was not taken up At length another trial
was decided upon with arrangement Of the
ropes, being hitched 10 the ladder on which the
body rested and TO which the foot was pressed AT
halfpast eleven O'Clock the ropes were again manned
by dozen pairs of strong The caution against
! commotion was again repeated TO the crowd. 'Now
then, boys" said the director, and slowly the pulley
turned and the ropes reeed and the gray head
white face and breathees body Of Lester Sykes came 10
the light of day. AFTER burial Of than forty four
hours It was laid on an mprovised sretcher tho face
reverently covered with coat and half dozen men
bore through an aisle opened in the great crowd by
policemen, TO a coffin that had been provided for IL
ARRANGEMENTS PuNEEAA
The funeral will take place to morrow al the old
church on Mount Orthodox and the pastor OF the un-
fortunate man. Rev E. n Pomeroy, who was early on
the scene and has remained there almost constantly
since, will conduct the services


NO INQUEST.


There will be no inquest the Coroner decmng IL un-
necessary, although good many people hereabouts
think there should be Official opinion regarding the
uninelligent manner in which the attempted rescue
carried on.