LA CASS, William

Weekly Arizona Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory Wednesday, July 3, 1907, page 1, col. 4 Miner Overcome By Foul Air Succumbs Returns to Shaft Too Soon After Firing Shots (From Tuesday's Daily) Smothered to death by foul air and gases in the bottom of a 50 foot shaft, on one of his claims in the Walker district, Sunday morning, at 8 o'clock, was the fair of William La Cass, a miner, who went back into the shaft, where only a short time before he had fired a round of six holes, and the gasses and foul air of which had not yet been dissolved by the atmosphere above. La Cass was engaged in sinking the shaft with his uncle, Maurice Fields. He waited for some time after firing the round of holes before he returned to clean out the shots. On reaching the bottom of the shaft he was overcome, and his uncle, being aged and feeble, was unable to pull him out before he became helpless. Miners were summoned from a near-by camp as soon as possible, but life was extinct before aid reached him. When the news of his death reached Walker, only three miles distance, the sheriff's office was notified by telephone and Deputy Sheriff Horace Bowdre and Justice of the Peace C. H. McLane drove at once to the place, where a coroner's jury was summoned, an inquest held, and a verdict of death by foul air returned. The body was taken in charge by Maus and Shannon, and the funeral will be held at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Deceased was aged about 50 years and a native of Canada. He had been a resident of this section for five years prior to his death and was an enterprising and industrious citizen.