Kern County Obituaries

Hugh McGaffin

Submitted by Don Stowell; 13 Feb 2008

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Source Unknown; 15 Feb 1940

Randsburg Miner Meets Death
Found 300 feet below the surface of his Randsburg gold mine Monday night with his 
head blown off, Hugh McGaffin, 50, was believed to have been the victim of an 
accidental discharge of blasting powder according to Coroner N. C. Houze, who is 
conducting an investigation. The possibility of suicide was expressed by Coroner 
Houze but the theory of murder was immediately discounted by investigators.
McGaffin was found at 6 p. m. Monday in the shaft of his mine by neighboring 
miners who conducted a search after he had been missing for five days. Coroner 
Houze said. The blast victim had lived in Randsburg seven years, working alone in 
operating the Winnie mine.