William L. Nelson died as a result of attempting to rescue Vaughn H. Roley from suffocation, Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, June 26, 1939. Roley, 21, laborer, entered a test hole that was 27 feet deep, in which hydrogen sulphide gas was present. Almost immediately he called to Nelson, 20, laborer, and another youth to pull him out; and then he became unconscious, his legs resting in a bucket to which a rope was attached. Nelson slid down the rope, took hold of Roley, raised him somewhat, and then became unconscious. The other youth carefully raised Roley to the top and pulled him from the hole. Brutus C Johnson, who had been told there was gas in the hole, reached the scene and with a rope around his chest was lowered to the bottom. He tried to slip a loop of a rope over Nelson’s leg but was overcome. He was pulled from the hole and was revived. Roley meanwhile had revived. He had a rope tied around his chest; and holding his breath, he was lowered to Nelson. He looped the other rope over Nelson’s leg and then was pulled to the surface. Nelson was pulled to the surface and was revived, but he died the next day from the effects of the gas. 37831-3177
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