As Told To GILMAR JOHNSON Frederic, Wisconsin
In a round about way through a tractor deal, I came across this
factual gruesome story and it came to me this Mr. Winslow (teller
of the story) is ‘The Other Boy’, the eyewitness of the
bygone tragedy.
Mr. Harry Winslow, born June 8, 1876, is very much alive at this
time and living on a farm run by two sons, near the town of
Webster, Wisconsin. His boyhood was spent about 8 miles south of
Zumbro Falls, Minnesota, where he experienced a cold chill
he’ll never forget. Seems at age 11 he was obligated to do his
part with the dozen or more other men to get the threshing done.
There he was cutting bands for the hand fed thresher a Case 36′
agitator, machine powered by the tumbling rod from a six-team horse
sweep. Harry to the right and another boy to the left and a certain
bard-boiled Nelson between, rolling in the sheaves. His environment
was enough to keep any boy on edge. Somehow it happened! The boy to
the left cut Nelson’s hand. In a furious stupor he grabbed the
boy and rammed him head first into the cylinder fairly pulping the
boy’s skull. In a split second the teamsters slammed on the
brake and Harry leaped off in fear. The rest of the crew were now
closing in on Nelson. They were self-aroused judge and jury and now
no mercy in their hearts. Uncoupling the tumble rod they soon set
up a Jin Pole against the thresher and in a short time Nelson was
hung. Nevertheless, as Winslow recalls it, Nelson had a son of 4 or
5 years old and in sympathy with his widow the neighborhood took up
a collection for her amounting to one thousand dollars.
Webster, Wisconsin. His boyhood was spent about 8 miles south of
Zumbro Falls, Minnesota, where he experienced a cold chill
he’ll never forget. Seems at age 11 he was obligated to do his
part with the dozen or more other men to get the threshing done.
There he was cutting bands for the hand fed thresher a Case 36′
agitator, machine powered by the tumbling rod from a six-team horse
sweep. Harry to the right and another boy to the left and a certain
bard-boiled Nelson between, rolling in the sheaves. His environment
was enough to keep any boy on edge. Somehow it happened! The boy to
the left cut Nelson’s hand. In a furious stupor he grabbed the
boy and rammed him head first into the cylinder fairly pulping the
boy’s skull. In a split second the teamsters slammed on the
brake and Harry leaped off in fear. The rest of the crew were now
closing in on Nelson. They were self-aroused judge and jury and now
no mercy in their hearts. Uncoupling the tumble rod they soon set
up a Jin Pole against the thresher and in a short time Nelson was
hung. Nevertheless, as Winslow recalls it, Nelson had a son of 4 or
5 years old and in sympathy with his widow the neighborhood took up
a collection for her amounting to one thousand dollars.
Harry Winslow recalls several tragedies he witnessed in his day.
He was there when a man lost a hand in a corn shredder, but that
was not uncommon in those days. Corn picker mishaps are
nowadays.
