Claud Baldwin and Gus Craig, employed as shovelers at the St. Louis Smelting & Refining Company shaft No. 6, were instantly killed while at work Friday when a huge slab of rock fell on them from the roof or "back" of the mine. The rock fell about 16 feet. Both men were dead when fellow employees reached them.
Witnesses at the inquest conducted by Coroner Prather testified that the roof of the mine at this shaft had been considered safe and that no rock had been falling. Wm. Glenn, shift foreman, stated that Baldwin had been working with W. H. Anthony at the first of the shift and had been engaged in examining the roof of the mine. Baldwin, he said, told him he did not want to mine and he gave him a mule to drive. Later Baldwin changed work with a shoveler.
Young Baldwin's parents had moved to Detroit some time ago and it had been his intention to join them there during the holidays. He had planned to go to Detroit this week and Friday was the last shift he had intended to work.
Craig was a married man and is survived by his wife and two small children. His home was at Desloge.