14 Dec 1886
Two Men Burried Alive
At about half past eight on Tuesday evening, our village was thrown in a wild state of excitement by word being brought in that Mr. Wamsley and E. Parrington, were buried alive on Snake River about five or six miles above town. A crowd of our citizens from both ends of town, gathered together in less time than it take to pen the above and was soon to the scene of disaster to say that the boys made good time would be putting it mild. Sheriff Vinson and John Lile, were stopped on their way home and informed of the trouble, but it seems the party giving the news failed to tell or else did not know first where the trouble was. Messrs Vinson and Lile tried to find the place but after looking and calling in the dark for some time, concluding they had been taken out, and the men gone home, and did not learn different until arriving at Mr. Wamsley's residence at the mouth of Ten Mile creek and gave the family the sad news; they came on to town and started the crowd to rescue them if possible. The men from town had a long and hard road to travel being compelled to go over the bluff, or hog back, to reach them. But after about 1 ½ hours walking, was close to the spot, when they met the boat with its sad freight coming home. It seems Mr. Wamsley with his son and Mr. Parrington, had been for several days, trying to dig out a den of Beaver, and where the den was located the bank was mostly composed of a sand and soft clay. They had dug out several of the holes and was working on the last and had dug it back some distance, when without a moments warning the banks on each side of the hole gave way and they were entomed in a grave of sand and clay. The banks were about twelve or fourteen feet high. Mr. Parrington being at the back end was buried about six feet above his head while standing upright. Mr. Wamsley was standing about eight feet from Parrington and was covered about five or six feet above his head. Sam (his son) was near the end of the hole and was buried up to his waist. After working and trying in every possible way for about half an hour, Sam managed to free himself by leaving his boots and pants in the sand. Just after getting out, Mr. Wamsley called to Sam saying: Oh Bud! Bud answered and tried to talk with his father but could not understand anything he said. All the shovels being buried with his father and friend, Bud was powerless to render any immediate aid, he did all he could to run for help. The poor fellow had to go a mile over sharp rocks and stones to the nearest man in his bare feet. Soon however willing and eager hands were doing their best to rescue the buried men.

Mr. Wamsley was taken out first, but the last spark of life and fled. Mr. Parrington was found standing, but in a more cramped position, the men both had evidently suffered terrible agony before death. At twelve o'clock (midnight) the little boat landed opposite the once happy home, now made desolate indeed. In losing Mr. Wamsley, our community loses one of its earliest settlers, a man loved, esteemed and honored by all who knew him. A man whose chief aim in life seemed to be to do good and for others as well as himself. A man kind to his family, and kind to all indeed. His presence will be sadly missed by the entire community, the funeral took place yesterday from the Baptist church here in Asotin, Rev. I. R. Snodderly officiating, and was well attended.