Story verification (Hat) 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
Hello. I submitted the "At the drop of a hat story." The subject of the story was the brother-in-law of my girlfriend, which is how I originally found out about it. However, there were also two stories printed about it in the Wichita Eagle, and the Argonia Farm Chronicles. Both are newspapers currently in circulation in Wichita, KS. I have copied both articles below. I hope this will serve as proper verification. If it's not enough, I can arrange for the original copies of these articles to be snail mailed to you. Thank you for posting my story. Whether or not it wins a Darwin Award, it's still one of the best examples of natural selection that I've ever heard.
Jeffrey Schuler
Wichita Eagle, February 17 2002.
On February 15th of this year, in the small Kansas farm town of Argonia,
Roger LeRoy VanHorn was found dead in the south field of his family's farm.
LeRoy as he was simply called, left on the morning of the 15th on his
tractor at 6:00 am and headed toward the south field 10 miles from the main
house and barn where the tractors are kept. Local authorities were contacted
by neighbor Bob C. Cambelle when LeRoy's tractor passed Kansas highway 96
with no driver. When authorities retraced the tractors path, they found
scattered remains of something that had gone through the tractors shredding
blades.
When pieces of denim, a straw cowboy hat,and orange flannel shirt
were found through out the field, Wichita police were called to aid in the
investigation. When the parents of LeRoy were asked to describe what LeRoy
was wearing when he left the house, the scattered remains were determined to
be Leroy's. When interviewing the parents, LeRoy's mother Emma Louise
VanHorn, said that since LeRoy was a teenager, he had been leaping off of
tractors, running ahead of them, and then climbing up the moving front
blades and getting back into the drivers seat.
It is assumed this is what he
had been doing at the time of death. Argonia authorities hope this
accidental death will teach the youth of the town on how dangerous farm life
can be.
Argonia Farm Chronicles, February 16 2002
Today our town of Argonia mourns the loss of Junior Deputy Roger LeRoy
VanHorn. At the age of 22, LeRoy (as we all knew him) died yesterday
February 15, 2002 in a tragic farming accident. The time of LeRoy's death is
unknown, he was last seen alive when neighbor Sally Renolds drove past the
VanHorn's field of winter wheat on the far south end of the farm at around
noon.
LeRoy left the main house and headed out to harvest the wheat at
around 6:00 am, says the family. It was known something was wrong with the
tractor was found crossing a near by high way later in the day with no
driver. When authorities stopped the run away piece of farm equipment, and
traced the path of the tractor some type of remains were found in the path
of the tractor. It was unknown if they were to be human or animal. When the
area was further searched, patches of denim, flannel plaid, and a straw hat
were found. It was determined LeRoy was wearing a similar outfit that
morning.
Unfortunately all of Leroy's remains were not recovered. It is
unknown if they were carried off by animals, or scattered so far they were
never found. From what a driver saw earlier in the day, LeRoy was off of the
tractor chasing what the driver said appeared to be a straw hat. He said the
tractor appeared to be running, but did not think anything of it. It is
assumed LeRoy died when he attempted to walk up the running blades of the
tractor to get back in the driver seat, which he had been doing since his
early teenage years.
His mother said she always discouraged it, but assumed
after 10 years, he knew what he was doing and was safe. The funeral of Roger
LeRoy VanHorn is to be held at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita, Ks on
the 18th of February. Submitted on 06/02/2002
Submitted by:
Jeffrey Schuler
Reference:
Wichita Eagle, Feb 17 2002
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