[6-9-1964]
WASHBURN -- A Washburn man remained in a Presque lsle hospital Wednesday with a possible cracked pelvis after being trapped on a tractor for four hours here Tuesday while gathering rocks, according to reports to the NEWS.
Reports Stated that a weird accident occurred while Burton Randall, the father of three children, operated a tractor Tuesday afternoon, pulling a rock cart and picking rocks.
Randall, in his late 20s, aparently was backing to unload rocks on the Harold Adam Farm. A pole connecting tractor and the cart reportedly became unhooked, jackknifed upward and caught onto the back of the tractor seat. Randall was said to have been pinned between the seat and the tractor's steering wheel by the pole.
The operator, unable to shut off the tractor, was said have removed his shirt belt and to have attempted employ them in effort to reach the machine's clutch. He hoped to manipulate the clutch and thus shut off the tractor motor, thereby gaining freedom.
In apparent desperation, Randall even tried to tear the tractor's seat apart, the NEWS was told.
Shouting for help, the trapped father remained in his more or less fixed position for four hours, until the arrival of Adam's son, who had come looking for Randall after wondering what had happened to him.
The tractor driver had to be picked up and the tractor had to be pulled ahead, reports explained, before Randall could be set free.
He was rushed to A. R. Gould Memorial Hospital at Presque Isle, reportedly suffering from shock, a possible cracked pelvis and a pinched nerve in the upper leg.
The attending physician was Dr. Lewis MacDonald of Washburn.
The Adams farm lies along a farm road off Main Street here. Workers on an adjacent farm said afterward they recalled hearing strange noises during the afternoon, said that they wondered at the time what the noises were and where they came from.
They decided that it must have been Randall shouting for help, the NEWS was informed.
PRESQUE ISLE--The Washburn man who was trapped for four hours on a farm tractor at the Harold Adams farm Tuesday was flown to Maine Medical Center at Portland Tuesday afternoon. A. R. Gould Memorial Hospital officials said Burton Randall, in his late 20's, was flown by Aroostook Airways, Inc. Ambulance. He was reported to have received a possible cracked pelvis and had a pinched nerve in his upper leg. Accompanying Randall to Portland was Miss Betty Derosier, R.N.
The NEWS was told Wednesday that Randall was injured while he was apparently backing a tractor to unload rocks. A pole connecting the tractor and a cart became unhooked and jackknifed upward, catching onto the back of the tractor seat. Randall was reported to have been pinned between the seat and the tractor's steering wheel by the pole.
Randall remained there for four hours, after making vain attempts to free himself. Finally he was discovered by Adam's son, who had gone to look for him.