Jos. Schmidt Injured Monday Morning (Joseph Schmidt)

Note: this article most likely ran in the Humphrey Democrat Newspaper on Friday, October 26th, 1923. From the obituary, it can be inferred that the paper was published weekly, and the date identified for the funeral in handwriting on the clipping was November 2nd. Since the article mentions the funeral as "today" it would indicate November 2nd, 1923, since it was a Friday. The publishing schedule and the handwritten date would agree. Further, if one works backward, the handwritten note on this article of "October 22nd, 1923" would likely correspond to the date of the incident since the story indicates the events happened "Monday Morning" which indicates the same week and October 22nd, 1923, was indeed a Monday. The photocopy came from Maryann Schmidt Raymond. She did not remember who gave her the document.

Jos. Schmidt Injured As Pile of Grain Doors Falls Upon Him

Was Found Unconscious By Manager Maiar*. Extent of Injuries Not Known but Is Resting Easy

At about 10 o’clock Monday morning Jos. Schmidt, who is employed at the Hord Lumber yards, was found in a unconscious condition under a pile of grain doors just east of the north drive to the elevator by Manager Louis Maiar who immediately called for assistance and a physician. The injured man was removed to the home of his son Frank, where he still remains. His condition, being such that he cannot be moved.

The extent of his injuries have not as yet been determined, but it is known that some of his ribs are broken and one of his shoulders blades suffered fractures. He has regained consciousness but is unable to tell anything about the accident himself.

He with Mr. Maiar were that morning preparing a car in which to load grain.  Mr. Schmidt had been at the top of the grain door pile, which is about ten feet in height, shoving off doors onto the track and had enough there to board up the car, with Mr. Maiar being in the car nailing on the doors, did not see the accident, nor did he hear the pile tumble down. Finally, running out of material he got out of the car to investigate what was keeping Mr. Schmidt from bringing him the grain doors, and found him lying on his face under a tier of grain doors, which had toppled over. Just how the accident occurred probably even Mr. Schmidt does not know. When Mr. Maiar found him he was laying near the edge of the driveway with his head and legs from beneath the pile of grain doors, and the supposition is that he probably had descended from the pile where he had been working and in going down the tier on the west side, which was not bound to the other doors, unbalanced, toppled over and caught him unawares as he was walking away from the pile.

He is under the care of physicians and a trained nurse and reports from his bedside are that he is getting along as nicely as could be expected.

* - The obituary that ran soon after this article lists “Mr. Maiar” as “Mr. Maier.” Other source historical documents support the “Maier” spelling.

Compiled and annotated by Adam Wunn (Great, Great Grandson of Joseph and Juliana Schmidt, 2015).