Bertsell Riggs died in a highway bridge construction accident north of Waynoka, OK. He was working in a pit, helping to dig the footing for the bridge supports, when the sides of the pit caved in. The following articles appeared in a local newspaper following the accident and his funeral service.
NOTE: corrections of misspelled words and typographical errors are indicated by brackets
MEETS DEATH WHILE ON DUTY
Birdsell [Bertsell] C. Riggs, living east of Dacoma, suddenly lost his life last Friday afternoon while assisting in the building of a new concrete bridge nine miles north of Waynoka on the road running north from this city to the Albert Pike Highway.
Mr. Riggs with Wood Gillen of this city were working under the direction of Foss Rose in the construction of the bridge and had excavated to the depth of thirteen feet when it was noticed the dirt wall showed signs of caving in. They at once began to brace the wall but before it could be made substantial a large amount came in on Mr. Riggs and Mr. Gillen before they could get from under it. Mr. Gillen was nearer safety and was covered by only some two feet of earth, but was standing erect against the north wall, with a crack sufficient for air, and was soon released thru the efforts of the other men on the job, he sustaining only a fractured rib and some bad bruises which laid him up for several days, but Mr. Riggs was covered by more than five feet of earth and before he could be uncovered had suffocated and the large amount of earth had bady [badly] crushed his body. The two Waynoka phyhsicians were called but it was too late to do any good for Mr. Riggs. Mr. Gillen was brought to his home in Waynoka where he was given medical attention, and the body of Mr. Riggs was taken to the home of W. G. Hunt, just north of the bridge, and his family called, they arriving that night when the body was brought to the Floyd and Thorne undertaking rooms in Waynoka and prepared for burial.
It was indeed a sad accident and the family of the deceased have the sympathy of all.
Mr. Gillen, fortunately was not seriously injured, owing to the heroic work of the men who saved his life and desparately endeavored to save that of Mr. Riggs, and Mr. Gillen is now recoverning very satisfactorily.
Below we give a brief obituary of the unfortunate man whose life was so quickly taken, and of whom those who had known him have words of commendation for his manliness and noble citizenship, as well as his active and faithful service for his country in the late war.
OBITUARY
Bertsell Chester Riggs, born Aug. 18, 1896, died May 4, 1923. He was assisting in the excavation for the concrete abutments of a bridge across Eagle Chief Creek nine miles north of Waynoka when a cave-in caught him and he was crushed under tons of earth. The body was brought to the undertaking rooms of Floyd and Thorne for preparation for burial, they also having charge of the funeral on Sunday following, at Pleasant View Church and Cemetery, where he was interred.
On July 14, 1919, deceased was united in marriage to Fern Sherrel [Sherrell]. To this union were born two children, Dorothy Loraine [Lorraine] and Dolores Aileen. Besides the wife and two children, he leaves to mourn his loss a mother and five brothers, Dalton W. of Chicago, Ill., Arles P., of Laverne, Okla.; Vibert, Dennis, and Samuel of Carmen, Okla., and a host of relatives and friends. He entered the World War as private in the Medical Corps at Camp Logan, Texas, Sept. 6, 1918, and was honorably discharged at the same camp, March 1, 1919.
The American Legion Post of Carmen and Waynoka, the deceased being a member of the latter, conducted the funeral services under the direction of Rev. J. C. Baxter of Dacoma, assisted by Rev. Shipley and Rev. VanMeter of Carmen. Pall bearers were Dr. Lewis, Edward Morrow, William Terrel, Lyle Rose, Tom Steve and Oliver Whorton of the Carmen Post. Legionnaires attending from Waynoka were Grover C. Chick, P.C., Ed Browning, P. A., T. B. Shortridge, Historian, C. A. Rawson, Sergeant at Arms, Albin Rauch, Basil Rose, Roy Wheeler, S. B. Hink, Rex Scofield, W. R. Kragh, and Hosea Chattin, Bugler who sounded "Taps."
The casket was draped with the flag and the bank of flowers around the casket showed the esteem in which the deceased was held as did the attendance as it is estimated that over fifteen hundred people assembled to pay their last respects.