Sunday afternoon the following telegram was received by relatives in Protection, "Roscoe accidentally killed. Will leave with body for Protection tonight at five o'clock. Mrs. Pearl Nickell."Mrs. Nickell arrived with the body Wednesday afternoon, and not till then were the particulars of the accident that had deprived Mr. Nickell of his life learned. Roscoe Nickell left Protection last March and went to Montana to homestead a claim. He had filed on a good piece of land and was improving it. Among those improvements he had dug a well. Last week the well which was about forty feet deep caved in and Saturday, July 4th, he and two of his neighbors started to clean out the cave in. Roscoe and one of his companions were working in the bottom of the well removing the dirt when a large section of the side of the well caved in. The cave in was from near the top of the well. Roscoe was caught beneath the falling dirt and buried under it but in such a manner that his neck and one leg were broken. Death was instantaneous. With the exception of one arm he was completely buried by the fallen dirt. His companion was buried in the fallen dirt to his armpits but was rescued unhurt. The body of the deceased was in the well some time before it could be brought to the surface.
The unexpected and sudden death of Mr. Nickell, completely unnerved Mrs. Nickell, but alone and almost a stranger in that far state, she found kind friends who lent helping and sustaining hands in her dark hours of trial and bereavement. The sad accident occurred at ten a.m. Saturday. Their claim was forty-five miles from the railroad and the long overland journey was made and the homeward trip began by Sunday evening. Mrs. Nickell was accompanied home by a neighboring lady, a Mrs. Greaves.
Roscoe Nickell was an industrious, sober and hard working young man and had gone to Montana and taken a claim with eager hopes and bright prospects. His wife left here May 5th to join him and help in the work of home building. She left for home with her beloved husband dead just two months later, July 5th.
Mrs. Nickell bore her bereavement with all its attendant shock bravely until she arrived home when she collapsed and a physician had to be called to attend her.
The funeral, conducted by Rev. D. C. Shields of the Methodist church was held Thursday morning at ten o'clock from the home of Mrs. Nickell's parents, A. C. Alexander and wife, and interment was made in the local cemetery. Mrs. Nickell and other relatives have the sincere sympathy of every one in their time of distress.
Marriage of Roscoe & Pearl (Alexander) NICKELL
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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