Friday, 12 Jan 1912--GEORGE MURDY DEAD--Again has the Death Angel visited Higbee and taken from among us one of our best and most highly respected citizens, George Henry Murdy, who entered peacefully into rest at his home in this place Saturday, January 6, 1912, after a long and painful illness from a complication of diseases, principal of which were asthma and heart trouble. While his death was not unexpected, it came as a shock to his loved ones and friends, as he had appeared better only the day before, and was found dead by his son, John, who had stepped out of the room for a moment, having fallen out of his chair during the latter's absence. Mr. Murdy was born in Ohio on December 8, 1864, and was therefore 47 years and 28 days of age at the time of his death. He was united in marriage on March 14, 1888, to Miss Louisa Carter. Following her death a year or so later, he married Miss Elizabeth Carter, a sister of his first wife. She died some eight or ten years ago. Funeral services were held at the home Monday by Rev. W. L. Halberstadt, pastor of the M. E. Church, South, of which deceased had been a devout and consistent member for fifteen years. Interment was made at Vandalia, from which place he moved to Higbee some twenty years ago. He is survived by an only son, John, and four brothers and two sisters. These, and especially John, have the profound sympathy of the entire community. In the death of Mr. Murdy, Higbee has lost as good a citizen in every respect of the word as ever lived among us. Friday 12 Jan 1912--Born, on the 10th, to James Miles and wife, a daughter. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--Mrs. H. T. Radford of St. Louis is the guest of her parents, John Mooney and wife. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--Mrs. D. Staples of Cross Lake, Minn, is the guest of her aunt, Mrs. Daniel Harris, and other relatives. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--Mrs. Marvin Cross of Clark died at Woodland Hospital in Moberly Tuesday following an operation for appendicitis. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--In the death of George Murdy, Higbee has lost a most exemplary citizen. He was a quiet, unassuming man, but was never afraid to stand up for the right. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--Mrs. I. B. Smith of Oklahoma is the guest of Mrs. Ben Wright and Mrs. H. C. Boyd. Mrs. Smith will be best remembered as Miss Beulah Forrester. She was accompanied by Mr. Smith, who was called home the first of the week. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--A Wabash passenger train pulled by two engines ran into an open switch at Huntsville Monday morning. Fireman Heyde was killed when he jumped, being caught under a coal car into which the engines plunged. The rest of the crew escaped with slight injuries. No passengers were hurt. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--Wm. Edwards, one of the best known farmers of the county, died at his home near Elliott on the 10th, aged 67 years. He is survived by three sons and two daughters, one of whom is Mrs. George Thornburg. Interment was made at New Hope. Friday, 12 Jan 1912--John R. Murdy of Jackson, Mich, was called here Sunday by the death of his brother, George. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--THE NEWS FROM BONNEFEMME--Marvin Philips, teacher of Possum College school, spend Saturday with Armstrong friends. J. W. Newman and family left here Thursday for Malta, Idaho, where they will make their future home. Miss Bettie Hitt who has been visiting her brother in Ft. Worth, Tex, the past two months, returned home Saturday. Mrs. Ernest Shockley and daughter returned to her home in Slater Monday after a visit with her parents, B. M. Avery and wife. Prof. John Morrison Dougherty of near Myers is all smiles over the arrival of a daughter at his home on the 15th. May the little one ever prove a joy to their home. Mr. Ed Lewis and Miss Edna Ray were united in marriage by Justice Ed. S. St. Clair on the 13th at the home of Jas. N. St. Clair. The groom is a farmer of the eastern part of the county. The bride is the charming daughter of C. J. Ray of northeast Howard. Congratulations. Word has been received here of the death of Jas. W. Bailey at his home near Adrain, on Dec 25th, of apoplexy. Deceased was once a resident of this township and was a brother-in-law of E. B. Ancell. He leaves a widow, one brother and two sisters to mourn his departure. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Born, on the 17th, to Scott Bailey and wife, a son. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Born, on the 7th, to Jack Sweezer and wife, a daughter. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Mrs. Rice Richards and little son left yesterday to join Mr. Richards in St. Louis where he has secured employment. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Born, on the 6th, to Thos Rees and wife a daughter. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Mrs. Hugh O'Bryan, aged 81 years, died at her home south of Myers Tuesday, and was buried at Bethel church cemetery yesterday. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--EXPLOSION WRECKS WINDSOR, MO. MINE--Windsor, Mo, January 13--Two men were entombed and 300 had a narrow escape this afternoon when an explosion wrecked the mine of the Bowen Coal Company, near Windsor. To-night the interior of the mine is on fire and no hope is held out for the rescue of the two shot firers who were trapped by the explosion. The day shift comprising 300 miners had been out of the workings only thirty minutes when the explosion occurred. The cages were thrown off the glides and jammed in the shaft by the force of the explosion and smoke poured from the pit. Rescue parties were immediately organized and through another shaft entered the west part of the mine and no trace of the shot firers was found. Efforts to enter the east part have failed because of the smoke and heat. There is no gas in the mine, and it is believed dust caused the explosion. Hiram Hyde, a member of the rescue party, was overcome by smoke, but was revived when brought to the surface. As soon as the explosion occurred, the fans were reversed, and an effort made to draw the smoke from the mine, but this failed, because the bulkheads that direct the air currents were shattered by the explosion. Fred Butcher and Donald McArthur, the missing shot firers, were both married and have families. The mine has been considered one of the safest and best equipped in the state. It is chiefly owned by John Bowen, mayor of Windsor. It is impossible to estimate the damage. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Windsor, Mo, Jan 14--After nineteen hours of endeavor to reach Fred Butcher and Donald McArthur, the shot-firers who were entombed in the Bower Company's mine No. 4 by an explosion of coal dust yesterday afternoon, a party of rescuers found their bodies at noon to-day. One hundred miners in parties of ten and twelve risked lives by entering the gas-filled shaft in the effort to save their fellow workmen. When the gas fumes drove the rescuers back, others would take their places and the search went on without a moment's loss from the time of the accident. Both bodies were laying face downward with arms outstretched. It is believed the men were killed instantaneously. Butcher was 25 years old and is survived by a widow and one child. McArthur was 45 years old, and is survived by a widow and two children. A "windy" shot caused the explosion. The Shot-firers were the only men in the mine at the time. It is supposed that one of the blasts ignited coal dust. All the rails and cars for a quarter of a mile from the scene of the explosion were wrecked, and props were broken or knocked down. Iron spokes in car wheels were broken out and cars torn into kindling wood. News of the accident was telephoned into town and help was sent to the mines at once, but the smoke and gas were so thick none could enter until about 9 o' clock in the evening and several men who attempted to rescue the miners were overcome. McArthur's neck was broken and his skull fractured, and Butcher's head indicated he was hit either by flying coal or was thrown against the face of the mine by the explosion. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--We are glad to state that none of Higbee's citizens who are working at Windsor were injured in the explosion of the mine there Saturday. Had the explosion occurred while the men were at work many Higbee homes would have been desolate, for at least a dozen from here are at work there temporarily, and a few have located there. David Davis, who went there last week, was one of the rescue party, and he writes us that the interior of the mine presented a frightful appearance and that the force of the explosion must have been something terrible. He says that Hiram Hyde, a former well known citizen of Higbee, who was one of the first men to go down in search of the shotfirers, was overcome by the bad air and had to be taken out. He soonrevived and went down again and remained until the unfortunate men were found, being in the mine 15 hours. An account of the explosion will be found on the first page of this issue. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--Forest Quinley, who was connected with the Bell Telephone Co. here for several years, and now holds a position with the same company at Marshall, was married on the 5th to Miss Pearl Hultz of that city. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--At the circuit court at Fayette last week Mrs. Mary E. Lessley formerly of this place was granted a divorce from her husband, Frank M. Lessley, and her maiden name of Mary E. Nichols restored. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--POOLE-COLEMAN--Mr. Frank Poole of Centralia and Miss Lilly Coleman of this place were married at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lon Coleman, Sunday evening, January 14, 1912, Rev. W. L. Halberstadt, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating. The wedding was a very quiet affair, none but a few of the immediate relatives being present. The groom comes from one of Boone County's oldest and best families, and is a prosperous young farmer, owning a good farm a few miles from Centralia. He bears the name of a most exemplary young man. The bride is the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Coleman and is one of Higbee's most modest, unassuming and lovable young ladies. For the past six years she has been connected with the Bee Hive's millinery department--a position, by the way, calculated to test one's temper and good nature--and has proven herself a general favorite. She will be sadly missed by her associates and also as organist at the Methodist church and Sunday School. The NEWS joins other friends in congratulations and in the wish that their path through life will be all sunshine. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--MISS UNAH SWEENEY DEAD--Miss Sarah Unah Sweeney, who had been suffering from tuberculosis of the hip joint for the past two or three years, died at the home of her mother, Mrs. Lucinda Sweeney, in this place on Friday, Jan 12, 1912, aged 21 years, 11 months and 12 days. Besides her mother, she is survived by two brothers, M. T. and Edmond L. Interment was made Saturday in Old Log Chapel cemetery, Howard county. The NEWS joins the community in sympathy to the bereaved ones. Friday, 19 Jan 1912--SUMMERS-DAVIES--Mr. Wm. R. Summers of Huntsville and Miss Isabel Davies of this place were married at the home of the bride's mother, Mrs. Mary L. Williams at 8 o'clock Sunday morning, January 14, 1912, Rev. Ben Robson officiating. They left immediately for St. Louis and will be at home to friends in Huntsville after the 20th. The groom is one of the county capital's prominent and capable young men and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Summers. He is enterprising and industrious and popular with all who know him. The bride is the youngest daughter of Mrs. Williams and is one of Higbee's popular young ladies, numbering her friends by her acquaintances. For the past three years she has been an operator in the Bell telephone exchange here, and by her courteous mannerhas endeared herself to all. She possesses all the womanly virtues calculated to make her home a happy one. That sunshine and happiness may ever attend them is the sincere wish of the NEWS and a host of other friends. Kathy Bowlin