Person:Merrill Richards (3)

2 newspaper clippings about Merrill found in the family album

May 1938

ROCK CRUSHES OATKA FARMER

 Perry - Crushed beneath a five-foot boulder Saturday afternoon, which slid off the edge of a pit he was digging in which to bury it, Merrill Richards, 41, Oatka farmer, suffered injuries that sent him to the Community Hospital, Warsaw, where his condition last night was reported as critical.
 Richards suffered a fractured pelvis and internal injuries. Following an operation he was given two blood transfusions.  Rendered unconscious when the stone pinned him to the bottom of the pit. Richards came to and, despite the severity of his injuries, managed to dig his way to freedom.  He crawled from the pit and to his car, driving nearly a mile to his home. His family was in Batavia but his father, John Richards, who lives nearby, was attracted by

Merrell's arm waving. He summoned medical aid.

 Richards' watch stopped at 3:30 p. m. It was nearly 5 o'clock before  he reached home.  He had been working alone in a field whenthe accident occurred. It was his
                               at the side of
                               it in and bury

(newspaper clipping was torn near the bottom).

(larger family clipping - better condition)

OATKA FARMER SEVERELY INJURED WHEN HUGE ROCK PINS HIM IN HOLE

 Merrill Richards, 44, Oatka farmer, is in the Community hospital, Warsaw, in a critical condition as the result of an accident Saturday afternoon that nearly claimed his life.  He was crushed beneath a five-foot boulder which toppled upon him as he worked alone digging a pit in which to bury it.				  
 His pelvis bones broken and suffering internal injuries, Mr. Richards	managed in some miraculous manner to claw his way from beneath the stone that was wedged above him. Crawling painfully over rough ground to his car he was able to drive to his home nearly a mile distant.		
 There he attracted the attention of his father, John Richards, who was driving into the farm with a team, the injured man's own family being in Batavia and the house unoccupied.			
 Rushed to the hospital, examination revealed a crushed pelvis and a ruptured tube leading to the bladder. He was given a blood transfusion at once, his brother, Melvin Richards being the donor.  An emergency operation was performed.			
 Although still unable to recount details of the near-tragedy, Mr. Richard's family learned that the accident occurred at 3:30, the time his watch stopped, when it was broken by the impact of the big boulder.  It was nearly 5 o'clock before the injured man reached home.  During that time he had fainted several times and only by the strongest fortitude had been able to keep his car moving.
 Unable to use one of his legs, he had steered the car toward the house, his waining strength not sufficient to bring it to a halt.  The car had gone the entire distance from the field to the home in low gear.  Too weak to shout to his father, he waved his arms, attracting the latter's attention.
 The boulder that caused the trouble had partialy protruded from a tillable field and Mr. Richards had worked several days digging a pit by the side of it. When deep enough he planned to roll the rock in and cover it up with enough soil to allow plowing over it.
 Relatives believe the side toward the shoulder caved in, letting the rock slip into the hole. Only the fact that the bottom of the hole was narrower than the  rock prevented Mr. Richards from being crushed beneath its entire weight.