Wiley, Austin Oscar (1886-1923)

WILEY, HAUSER, BRIDGMAN

Posted By: C Tucker (email)
Date: 8/9/2018 at 11:13:08

Times Republican
Marshalltown, IA [Saturday 5-5-1923] p. 8

TRACTOR KILLS ALBION FARMER

AUSTIN O. WILEY CRUSHED BENEATH TREAD OF HEAVY MACHINE

BODY NOT FOUND FOR SEVERAL HOURS

Well-Known Farmer of Bethel Grove Neighborhood Meets Tragic Death When Tractor Backs on Him --- Caught While Coupling Machine to Disk

Austin O. Wiley, 37, tenant on the M. A. Hauser farm, four miles northwest of Albion, and one of the best known of the younger farmers of Albion and its vicinity, was crushed and killed under his tractor whle disking early this forenoon. There ere no witnesses to the accident, altho it happened very close to the house, and the body was not found until a few hours later. Dr. P. L. Marble, of Liscomb, who was called, said he believed death was instantaneous and that the accident probably occurred two or three hours before the body was found at 10:30.

CRUSHED UNDER TREAD

It is presumed that Mr. Wiley was coupling the disk to the tractor and was standing between them when he was crushed. It is supposed that he either reach up, threw the tractor in gear and it backed upon him, or that the clutch was thrown in by some other means that set the tractor in backward motion. Marks in the ground showed that the tractor and disk had moved back about four feet. Mr. Wiley's body was crushed into the ground under one of the tractor treads, the body being doubled and his head deepest in the ground.

HIRED MAN DISCOVERS BODY

Altho E. C. Edwards, Mr. Wiley's hired man, had been planting potatotes near where the tractor stood, it was not until Edwards drove close to the tractor and the horses shied at it that he discovered the body under the machine. The body was so crushed into the ground that it required a close look even then to see it.

WILEY WELL KNOWN

Mr. Wiley has lived in the Albion neighborhood since he was a small boy. He was born in Audubon county, but his parents moved to near Albion thirty or more years ago. He was very active in affairs of the community. He was noble grand of the Odd Fellows lodge of Albion and an officer of the Farmer's Investment Company of Albion. He was a member of Central Church of Christ of this city and played in the Sunday school orchestra. Mrs. Wiley, who was Miss Lola Hauser, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Hauser, 119 South Tenth street, city, survives him. His widowed mother, Mrs. Paulina Wiley and a sister, Mrs. Hattie Bridgman live in Albion. Mr. Wiley was born Nov. 5, 1886, and with his parents moved to this county when 14 years of age. The family lived a mile and a half northeast of Albion. He was united in marriage with Miss Lola Hauser, April 7, 1915, and four years ago they moved to the M. A. Hauser farm northwest of Albion. He was a member of the Albion Masonic lodge. The funeral will be held at 2:30 Monday at Central Church of Christ, city. The church will be open to friends at 1:30. Prayer service will be held at M. A. Hauser home at 1 o'clock.