October 3, 1912
LOST IN A CAVE.
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE OF FOUR BOYS.
Last Saturday afternoon, Presley Henry, son of James Henry, George Dollar, son of Gilly Dollar, Milton McAdams, son of Mrs. Lawson McAdams, and Gleaford Rankin, son of T. A. Rankin all of Marion had an experience which they will not soon forget. The boys were gathering walnuts on the Wilson hill farm and concluded to explore a cave which penetrates the bluff. They took the precaution to take a candle, some matches and a long string which they tied securely to a tree before descending into the depths of Crittenden county's miniature "Mammoth Cave." This was in the early afternoon. They had not gone far until they lost their way and to make matters worse the candle went out, the string broke and the match supply was found to be short. They groped around some time looking for the exit and finally began to yell for help. Harry Moore, son of John A. Moore, who was one of the nutting party did not venture into the cavern, heard their cries and hurried to the city and gave the alarm. After considerable delay the parents were found and went to the entrance accompanied by a large crowd. Lawrence Robinson was one of the most diligent friends to the entrapped boys. Wyley McCain, colored, was considerably excited as he was at first told that his son Howard was enroute to China through the bowels of the earth. The boys were rescued after being entombed four and one half hours and all were in tears when brought to the surface of mother earth just after dark. Presley Henry embraced Lawrence Robinson and told him he never looked so good to him in all his life. It is said some of the other boys and their parents had quite affecting meetings in the back yards when they reached their homes.
Source: Crittenden Record-Press. (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, October 3, 1912, Image 5 - Chronicling America - The Library of Congress.
[My comments are in brackets.]
