Bennett - Rick - accident - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Rick Bennett, the well known digger, lost his life yesterday and his partner, Ed. Reynolds, barely escaped with his, nearly losing it in a fruitless attempt to save that of Bennett

A short time ago Charles Smelcer purchased the residence property at 207 Binford Street and began to improve it. Babe Holloway and Tom Connard were employed to paint the place and Rick Bennett and Ed Reynolds to dig a well immediately in the rear of the residence. They began a day or so ago to dig the well and on getting out at noon for dinner measured it and found it to be just 43 feet deep. At that time everything was all right about the hole and no suggestion of fire damps. They returned to work at 1 o’clock and what then occurred is best told by the only eye witness, Mrs. Smelcer’s 13 year old niece, Stella Galbreath. She said to a representative of the Journal:

“When they came back Bennett got into the bucket and Reynolds began to let him down into the well. After he had gone down a good way, we heard him yell out, ‘Let her down faster!’ Reynolds let him down a good deal faster and just before the bucket got to the bottom Bennett fell out. Reynolds saw him fall and looked for a moment as though he would jump in after him. Then he ran around the house and wildly called out to the painters to come. They ran quickly and let Reynolds down. But when he got down he fell too.”

Mrs. Smelcer witnessed the last part of the tragedy but was immediately taken ill and required the attention of two doctors during the remainder of the afternoon.

Babe Holloway states that when Reynolds called him and Connard that he said Bennett had fallen and they understood by that that he had fallen down into the well from the top. Had they known the well was filled by damps they would not have obeyed Reynolds’ rash request to be lowered after his comrade. As soon as Reynolds got down to the bottom, however, they saw him stagger aimlessly against the side of the well and heard him groan and call for help. Then they knew the well was filled with damps. They quickly gave the alarm and an excited crowd of men and women were soon on the scene.

It was sheer folly for anyone to descend into the well so all operations had to be conducted from the surface. Under the directions of Wm P. Stewart, the best possible service was rendered. It could be seen that Reynolds was still alive as he could be seen moving and be heard groaning. An overcoat and blanket were tied in a bulky mass with a clothes line and this was churned up and down in the hole thus forcing some air down. Then a garden hose was lowered and air pumped through this to the bottom of the well.

Reynolds was making a heroic effort not to faint and after the air had been pumped down to him awhile revived somewhat. Finally a noosed rope was lowered to him, the rescuers calling out to slip it about his body, it being apparent to them that Bennett was dead. Just here, however, is where Reynolds displayed another bit of heroic pluck. Although almost fainting in the deadly atmosphere about him and liable to fall unconscious at any moment, he still stuck to his comrade. He was not willing that any chance for life which Bennett might have should be thrown away. He heroically put aside the first chance and slipped the noose about the lifeless body at his feet. Strong hands quickly pulled the burden out and the rope again was quickly lowered. Bennett’s body was carried to the north side of the house and laid upon the lawn. Dr. Ensminger dropped on his knees and placing his ear against the breast listened a moment. Then he rose and shook his head. It was all over with Bennett.

When the noose reached Reynolds again he was almost gone, but he managed to slip it about his body and was drawn fainting to the surface again—where were friends and fresh air and life itself. He was laid back on a pile of earth and nursed tenderly for some time, reviving finally so that he could be hauled home to his wife and two children near the Junction. Reynolds is only a common well digger, but he evidenced heroism, which for loyalty to comrades and noble self sacrifice, has some parallels which are famous in history. His heroism will never be known in history and never heard of outside of Crawfordsville, perhaps, but for all that if such acts as that which called forth the immortal words “Greater love hath no man than this.”

Bennett was an unmarried man and boarded on Fremont Street with Mrs. Parker. His body was taken to Carver & Robbins’ undertaking establishment to be prepared for burial.