Chester "Ralph" Kelley

Ralph Kelley lost his foot, and then his leg, in a farm accident
when about seven years old. He was playing around some rope
where men were unloading hay. See story below, and see an obituary
on the obits board, for more information.

---

One Otranto letter contained an account of a most serious accident which happened at the home of A. C. Kelley west of Otranto on Monday of last week. It is stated that little Ralph, who will be six years old in November, was playing around the yard while they were unloading hay with the hay fork. Seeing the rope lying in coils around the yard he thought childlike that it would be fun to jump into the coil and then out.

The man who was driving the (unreadable) did not see him and started the team up on a trot with the result that his little foot was caught in the rope and carried against the pulley with such force that the rope was an inch in diameter was broken entirely off. Of course the foot was terribly injured. An attempt was made to save it, but symptoms of blood poisoning made their appearance and it was decided that his foot must be taken off and then it was not known that his life could be saved.

On Thursday, Dr. O’Connor and Dr. Cobb amputated his foot and (unreadable) the blood poisoning. It is reported that he is now getting along nicely. But it is sad to think that the foot can never be restored and that he will have to go through life with one foot.

 

 

Photo from Bob Vierkant (bobandnona@centurytel.net) January 2012