Francis Weston Armstrong
Oct. 28, 1918-Jan. 6, 1934
Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 6, 1934, page 1, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library
NILES BOY KILLED BY FALLING TREE
Armstrong Youth Dies at Hospital of Skull Fracture
Evidently Became Confused When Warning Was Shouted by Huffman Brothers; Ran Directly Under Falling Tree
Francis Weston Armstrong, 15, Niles junior high school student, died in Pawating hospital at 10 o'clock this morning from injuries received when a tree he was helping to chop down fell on him.
Working with two Huffman brothers, Cleo, 18, and Robert, 15, the youth was felling timber in the Al Stocks' woods, south of Niles. The boys have been working there at times for some weeks.
"We went to the woods about 7 o'clock this morning," Cleo Huffman said. "We were working on a big tree. When it started to fall, I yelled for the fellows to get out of the way. Francis seemed to be confused and ran directly in the path. The top of the . . .[illegible].
"He was unconscious and did say anything. My brother and I had no trouble getting him out from under the branches. We put him in the car and drove him home. His parents said to take him on to the hospital, which we did."
The lad was received at the hospital at 9:40 o'clock and died a few minutes later without gaining consciousness. He sustained a fractured skull, a crushed chest, and a broken right arm.
Francis was the son of Mrs.and Mrs. Francis M. Armstrong, 1517 Michigan street. He was born October 28, 1918. The parents and three sisters survive. The sisters are: Mrs. Marian Ravish, Buchanan; Mrs. Mildred Dunek and Mrs. Margery Shepherd, both of Niles. Two grandmothers are living: Mrs. Mary Armstrong, South Bend, and Mrs. Irene Critzer, Baroda.
Cleo and Robert, the boys who were working with young Armstrong, are sons of Mr.and Mrs. Harry Huffman, 633 South Lincoln avenue. Mr. Huffman and John Dunek, a brother-in-law of the deceased, hold a contract to clear the woods where the boys were busy. The boys have been helping them on school vacations, but the men were engaged in other work today and did not go to the woods.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Rutherford funeral home.