STANFILL, CLEATUS L.

BELMONT, Nov. 15.—a 34-year-old machinist’s assistant, father of four children, was fatally injured this morning [November 15, 1955] at the Schick Products plant, 591 Quarry Road, when a piece of scrap metal flew out of a forge press he was helping operate and struck him in the chest.

Pronounced dead on arrival at Community Hospital was Cleatus Stanfill, 470 Crockett Avenue, Campbell. Investigating officers said he started work at the plant only yesterday as a forge press trainee.

Coroner Paul Jensen said Stanfill was assisting John Schultz, 1010 Lois Avenue, Sunnyvale, in removing dies from the hydraulic forge press when a piece of scrap metal, used to give the press more leverage, flew out under strain of the terrific pressure and struck him in the left chest. Attendants at Community Hospital said it is possible the metal pierced the lower edge of the heart.

First at the scene was Belmont Police Sgt. George Dipaola, who said Stanfill was lying beside the press bleeding profusely from the wound. An ambulance arrived a few minutes later and took Stanfill to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

He is survived by his widow, Myrtle, and four young children in Campbell. His body was removed to Patterson and O’Connell Chapel, San Mateo, pending funeral arrangements.