1 May 1903--John Rocket on Saturday caught what is perhaps the largest crappie ever caught out of the Alton pond. It weighed 3 1/2 lbs. 1 May 1903--MRS. LOUISA SEBREE DEAD--Fayette, MO, April 28--Mrs. Louisa Sebree, widow of the late John P.. Sebree, died here this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Farrington. She was 82 years old. She was the mother of Captain Urial Sebree of the United States battleship Wisconsin; Honorable Frank Sebree, Police Commissioner of Kansas City; Major Sebree, attorney at Springfield, MO.; John Sebree of Manila, P.I., and Mrs. Farrington of this city. The funeral and interment will take place here tomorrow. 1 May 1903--Mr. C. Will Cubbage, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Cubbage of near Yates, was married in Glasgow Wednesday, April 29, 1903, to Miss Flora Renee, of that place. Mr. Cubbage is superintendent of construction for the Midland Bridge Company at St. Charles. The News wishes the young couple a happy journey through life. 1 May 1903--Born, on the 30th, to John Kirby and wife, a son. 1 May 1903--B. M. Fort of Trenton, MO, was called here Tuesday by the death of his brother, J. H. 1 May 1903--Carl Wirt died at his home near Renick on April 26 of consumption, aged 24 years. 1 May 1903--JOHN WILKINSON KILLED--Thos. Wilkinson received the sad intelligence Sunday last that his brother, John, had been that morning killed in the Golconda mine near Sumpter, Oregon. Particulars of the sad affair have not yet arrived. It is supposed that he was killed by a dynamite explosion, as he had written his brother only a short time ago telling him of the work, of the blasting by dynamite and the attendant dangers, and from the further fact that a dispatch to the K. of P. lodge of this place advised that the relatives be not allowed to view the remains as they were beyond recognition. The remains left Sumpter Wednesday noon for Higbee and are expected to reach here at noon to-day or tonight. Deceased was a member of Higbee lodge K. of P., which order will have charge of the funeral, and the Masonic fraternity, his membership in the latter being in Canada. Mr. Wilkingson was born at Brantford, Ontario, Jan 28, 1870, and came to Higbee in 1891, and has been here most of the time since then. He leaves to mourn his untimely end a mother, three sisters and three brothers. He had been in the west about a year, where, with two others, he was working a claim which promised to make them all rich. Like other men of limited capital, they developed the claim as they could, working in the adjacent mines when their capital ran low. He was engaged in this work when death overtook him. He was a model young man and everyone who knew him was his friend. To the grief stricken relatives the News joins other friends in extending sympathy. Interment will be made in the city cemetery. The hour has not been determined as it is not known when the remains will arrive. 1 May 1903--Born, to Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Denham, April 20, a girl. Mother and child doing nicely and Mr. Denham is able to smile--Sarcoxie Leader. 1 May 1903--Dr. Thos. B. Cottingham died at his home in Clark an April 29, 1903, of consumption, aged 26 years. He was well known here, having been located here for some time. His many friends will be pained to learn of his demise. 1 May 1903--J. R. Ford died at his home near town on Tuesday, April 28, 1903, of consumption, aged 73 years. Mr. Ford moved to this vicinity about four years ago from Chariton county and by his upright conduct soon won the confidence and respect of all who knew him. He was twice married and is survived by his widow and eight children. The remains were taken to Chariton county Thursday for interment. The News extends sympathy to the bereaved family. 8 May 1903--Ed. Embree, aged 24 years, son of Cal Embree of near Fairview Church, was drowned in a well at his home last Friday evening. Mr. Embree was in the last stages of consumption and very weak. His father had left him in the house while he (the father) was doing up the chores about the place. When he returned to the house his son was not there and Mr. Embree sent to the neighbors thinking that he might possibly have gone there. He was not at the neighbors' and going to the well to get a pail of milk which hung therein, the young man's hat was seen floating on the surface of the water, and further search discovered the body at the bottom, under ten feet of water. From the time he was first missed until the body was discovered was about one hour. The general supposition is that the young man tried to get the bucket of milk from the well and fell in. Some however, think the opening in the well cover too small for him to have fallen through and that it was a case of suicide caused by despondency--Clark Chronicle. 8 May 1903--Robert Brown, of Richmond, MO, and Miss Ollie Tucker of this place, were married at the Methodist church at this place Wednesday evening, by the pastor, Rev. J. F. Shores. The groom is 18 while the bride is 15. They left on the first train for Richmond, where they will reside. The news joins other friends in extending good wishes. 8 May 1903--C. E. Denny, a prominent citizen of near Armstrong, died at Oklahoma City May 5, 1903, aged 61 years. 8 May 1903--PARTICULARS OF JOHN WILKINSON'S DEATH--The remains of John Wilkinson, who was killed in the Golconda gold mine near Sumpter, Oregon, on April 26, 1903, arrived here Saturday noon and were conveyed to James' undertaking rooms, and afterward to the home of his brother Tom. Funeral services were conducted at the Methodist church Sunday at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. W. F. Bell, of Fayette, after which the remains were taken in charge by the Higbee Lodge of K. of P. and conveyed to the city cemetery and laid to rest with the rites of the fraternity. Deceased was also a member of the Masonic order his membership in the latter being in Canada, and the lodge here turned out in a body, but took no part in the ceremony, other than three acting as pall-bearers. The following letter gives all that will ever be known of the sad affair: SUMPTER, OREGON, April 28--Mr. T. C. Walton, Higbee, MO, Dear Sir and Friend:--I will try to give you as correct an account of the accident that happened John as possible. I aim to enclose a piece cut out the Sumpter paper containing an account of the accident and the verdict of the coroner's jury as found at the inquest. The accident happened on Sunday morning, April 26th. He had gone down the shaft to the 200-foot level and up into the stop where he was working. Finding that he needed some timbers he went to the bottom of the shaft, telling the man who was working close to him that he was going after some lagging. When he reached the bottom of the shaft he signaled the engineer for the cage (this is what the engineer swore to before the coroner's jury) which was lowered to the 200-foot level. Then the engineer got a man bell to hoist, and started the engine as usual, gradually giving it steam until it got to the usual speed, but when the cage was up about 20 feet above the 200-foot level, he noticed the rope jerk and shake and he partly shut the steam off, but thought if there was anything wrong it was too late then, so he brought the cage to the top, but there was nothing on it but John's cap. He notified the foreman and he and another top man went down and found John at the bottom of the shaft, which is 500 feet deep. There was no one around or near at the time this happened, and just how he came to get caught no one will ever know. I was at Susanville at the time of the accident and as soon as I received the message I started for Sumpter, also telephoning John Slanger (he is our partner in those claims at Susanville) to telegraph you and also his mother in Canada. I reached Sumpter late Sunday night, and Monday morning went out to the Golconda mine, which is seven miles out of Sumpter, and found things as you know. I got permission to go down the mine and see how everything was where he was caught. Just above the 200-foot level, between the third and fourth set of timbers, we could see where the slime that collects on the lagging was rubbed off. This was undoubtedly where he was caught and crushed between the cage and the timbers of the shaft. After he passed through there we couldn't see that he had touched anywhere until we were about half way between the 400 and 500 foot levels, where his head must have struck on the wall-place. When they found him at the bottom of the shaft he was with the most of his body lying in the drift just off from the shaft. So you see he fell about 320 feet after passing the cage in the shaft. The engineer has the reputation of being a very careful man and all the men I talked to all spoke well of him and as being very careful in handling men. The cage is a very good one, something like you have back there, only smaller and no more danger of a man losing his balance than there would be on any of the cages back in Missouri. The shaft, when I was down it, seemed to be perfectly smooth and in about as good running shape as you generally see. According to some of the men who are working in the mine, John had complained of not feeling well for several days and it may be possible that he was overcome by dizziness or some other sickness and fell against the side of the shaft. He had no enemies and was well thought of by everybody. The Mason, Knights of Pythias and Miners' Union all turned out and escorted the remains to the train. All of John's personal effects that he had with him are in the hands of the coroner and will be turned over to the Baker county treasurer. If there are any questions that I can answer in regard to this accident I will be glad to do so. Hoping to hear from you soon, I will close with kindest regards for all my old friends. Respectfully, Thos. S. Evans. VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY--"Witnesseth, that said John Wilkinson came to his death while traveling in a cage in the Golconda shaft between the 200-foot and surface levels, from an unknown cause. We further find that all machinery, appurtenances, and shaft were in first-class condition." 8 May 1903--Married, in Huntsville, on Sunday, May 3, 1903, by Rev. Tiller, Mr. W. J. Alexander and Miss Ledrue Allen, both of Yates. 8 May 1903--Died, near Clark, on Saturday, May 2, 1903, Mrs. Wm. White, of pneumonia. She leaves a husband and several small children to mourn her death. 8 May 1903--Dr. J. B. Scott, formerly of Burton but now of Fayette, and Miss Eva Turner, also of Fayette, were married at that place Tuesday by Rev. M. A. Buchanan. 8 May 1903--The "Bloomer Girls" baseball team is again in the field in Missouri. Its members are probably the only nine women living who now have the nerve to appear in public in the once so popular and so ludicrous female breeches. Kathy Bowlin Additions corrections, comments welcome.