EVERETT LAWS KILLED IN MINE.
--National Employee Fatally Crushed at No. 7 Mine Saturday Morning.--

Everett Laws of Desloge, employed as a roofman at No. 7 shaft, St. Louis Smelting & Refining Works of National Lead Company, was fatally crushed in an accident which happened at No. 7 about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, October 8, 1927. Death came at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon at the Bonne Terre Hospital, where the injured man was taken immediately following the accident. Laws was aged 34 years, 9 months and 9 days, and leaves a widow and three children.

Laws was employed as a roofman, his duties being to handle dangerous roof conditions in the mine before other employees are allowed to work under such formations. Being so employed he thoroughly understood the handling of loose and unsafe roof conditions, a fact which adds to the mystery of just how he came to be caught by a fall of rock. The facts which led up to the accident follow.

Inspection of the roof, or what is commonly termed the back in mining, early Saturday morning showed that the heading in which the accident occurred was unsafe. Shovelers were not allowed to enter the dangerous territory and Laws proceeded about the task of getting down the unsafe rock. Examination of the back led him to believe that the most effective way to bring this about was to drill several small holes, charge them and shoot the rock loose. Following out this plan of action he had machine man Carl Berryman drill the holes at points which he (Laws) had selected, and as soon as they were finished they were charged and fired.

Following firing of the shots the two men waited for some little time to allow the dynamite fumes to blow from the heading. Laws entered the effected area while Berryman went to a valve on his airline to cut off the air. Berryman distinctly heard the warning pop of the roof before the mass fell and is of the opinion that Laws also heard this sound. The latter was standing close to a supporting pillar at the time and turned forward rather than backward to avoid the fall. He was caught by the mass of rock which came down with a crash, although the full force of the fall missed him. He was not injured about the upper portion of his abdomen nor about the head, but was terribly crushed about the hips, where he suffered several severe fractures. One of the fractures evidently caused severance of an artery, resulting in severe internal hemorrhage, a condition which was directly responsible for death.

Laws had been employed by the National since April, 1914, a period of about thirteen and one-half years, and had a splendid reputation as a safe workman. Records at the plant fail to show his name connected with any accident in a direct manner. This care on his part undoubtedly had a bearing on his selection as a roofman, a post for which cool headed, careful employees are always chosen. It is a rare thing for an accident to result in injury to any of these men and there is at least one employed with every shift in every mine.

Funeral services were held Monday, October 10, 1927, at 2 o'clock p.m. at the Desloge Catholic Church, conducted by Rev. Fr. J. A. Cunningham, following which the body was taken to Bonne Terre where it was interred in the Bonne Terre Catholic Cemetery. Rev. Fr. Moser officiated at this ceremony.

Everett Laws was born at Perryville, Mo., December 29, 1892, a son of Larkin and Caroline Laws. His father preceded him in death many years ago, but his mother, who is making her home with a daughter, lives in Detroit, Mich. May 27, 1917, he was united in marriage to Miss Mamie Monroe of Desloge, and to this union three children were born, all of whom with the wife and mother, survive. These children are Frances, 12 years of age, Virginia, 4, and Ruth Ann 2. He is also survived by two sisters, Mesdames Frank Edwards of Los Angeles, Calif. and Mary Montgomery of Detroit, Mich., and two brothers, Luther of Desloge and Jasper whose present address is unknown. All of the family were present at the funeral except the sister from California who could not get here and Jasper, who could not be located.

The entire community will join us in an expression of sincere sympathy to all those who have been saddened by this accident.

The Lead Belt News/Friday, Oct. 14, 1927

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