Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1909 — PROFESSOR DIES FROM ACCIDENT. [ARTICLE]

PROFESSOR DIES FROM ACCIDENT.

Was Hit By Hammer In Saturday’s State Athletic Meet In Lafayette. Lafayette, lad., May 26. —Prof. Benjamin M. Hoak of the Purdue University faculty, who was struck in the abdomen by a twelve-pound hammer thrown by Guy Conwell of Vanburen, Ind., in the state high school track and field meet on Stuart Field Saturday afternoon, died early this morning at the Home Hospital. Prof. Hoak was acting as field judge for the track meet at the time of his injury, and was watching a close race on the track with his back turned to a group of high school athletes preparing for the hammer throw. Guy Conwell, who was the first to throw the hammer, let it fly at an angle straight toward Prof. Hoak. Heeding the cry that went up from spectators the professor turned just in time to throw one hand in front of his abdomen, else the blow would probably have killed him on the spot. As It was the terrific force of the missile shattered his hand and laid him senseless on the ground. Hoak was professor of materia medica in the Purdue school of pharmacy and professor of chemistry at Qakwood High School. He was very popular with the student body, and was always interested in athletic events. He and his wife, sole members of the family, had just moved into a new home in West Lafayette which the professor had been planning several years. His aged mother, 80 years old, residing at Rushville, arrived a few hours before he died.