Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Eitelbuss, Clark 1929
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net August 14, 2011, 11:37 am

Ionia County News, 13 Jan 1929

Palo Youth Is Shot Dead In Railway Yard

Mistaken Identity Thought Responsible for Death of Clark Eitelbuss

Military Escort Is Coming With Body

Parents Get Meager Report Of Fatal Shooting by Railroad Officer

Shot to death in railroad yards at Chattanooga, Tenn., Clark Eitelbuss, 19, of
Palo, is being escorted home by a military escort of U.S. Marines, of which he
was a member, according to latest advices from the south.  Young Eitelbuss, who
is well known throughout the county because of his prowess as an amateur boxer,
was killed Tuesday according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ward
Eitelbuss.  There is a considerable amount of mystery concerning the fatal
shooting but Clark is believed to have been shot as a result of mistaken identity.

Details Lacking

The meager details available pending arrival of official reports consist
principally of stories which came over the news wires of the press associations.
 These stated that Clark was killed in an exchange of shots with railroad
detectives in the Chattanooga railroad yards.

The stories say that Clark was in company of another marine who enlisted with
him a year ago under the name of Ted Eitelbuss and who also told the Chattanooga
police his name was Ted Campbell.  While he claims to have been a friend of
Clark’s prior to enlistment Mr. and Mrs. Eitelbuss are unable to shed any light
upon his probably identity.  

The reports received here indicate that the detectives were in the railroad
yards searching for robbery suspects thought hiding there.  They saw the two
marines and ordered them to halt.  A shot was fired, one of the detectives being
struck in the thigh by a bullet.  He fired in return and Clark was killed.

Probably Mistake

The circumstances are such that it appears possible the shot which wounded the
detective may have been fired between two of the cars by someone hiding there
and who probably was one of the men sought by the officers in connection with
the robbery.  Not seeing the direction from which the shot was fired the
detectives likely shot at the only men he saw supposing them to be the ones who
were doing the shooting.

Immediately following the identification of Clark, Col. H.B. Snyder, commander
of the marine station at Paris Island, North Carolina, wired Mr. and Mrs.
Eitelbuss that he would send the body of their son under military escort, an
honor he was entitled to as a member of the United States Marines.

The parents are at a loss to understand how Clark happened to be in Chattanooga
since they were under the impression he still was in the military hospital where
he had been confined for treatment when last they heard from Clark.

Friends to Defense

The possibility that Clark was engaged in any questionable act or that his
shooting was other than a mistake is scoffed at by his many friends.  They see
rather the probability that Clark, if he fired at the detective believed the
plain clothes men were hold-up men trying to rob them.  He was known as a fine
young man during all of his life in this county and was one of the most popular
boxers to enter the ring in amateur contests here, his boxing being
characterized by a clean sportsmanship which made him a favorite.

Funeral arrangements have not been made pending arrival of the body from the
south.


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