Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Ernest 1915
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net March 25, 2011, 11:57 am

Portland Observer, 11 Mar 1915

Terrorized By Auto, Lad of nine Dies

Ernest Smith is Seized with Convulsions as Machine Drives Up to Dooryard.

Tragedy Grown Out of Election Activities

Machine Used in “Rounding Up” Tardy Voters is Responsible for Lad’s Death; 
Funeral Held This Morning.

Frightened by Francis Burger’s automobile while playing about the dooryard of 
his parents’ home on the north side, Monday afternoon, Ernest, nine-year-old 
son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Smith, died soon afterwards of convulsions.  The 
lad had been susceptible to such attacks since he was six years of age, but 
during the past six months had shown a marked improvement and members of the 
family were hopeful of a complete recovery.

Francis Burger was engaged by the democratic village committee Monday to “round 
up” tardy voters, and with his automobile had made a couple of trips to the 
Smith neighborhood before calling for Mr. Smith.  The latter’s son, who was 
playing about the dooryard, caught a glimpse of the trembling machine just as 
his father stepped to the running board, and in an instant was seized with his 
chronic trouble.  The little fellow never regained consciousness, dying in 
about five minutes.

Young Smith had always shown a terror for automobiles and motorcycles and his 
parents had used extreme precaution in keeping him from them, fearing an attack 
of the sort that caused his death.  Bent on reaching the polling place the 
boy’s father failed to see the little fellow as he stole around the house and 
caught sight of the machine.  The family have the sympathy of a united 
townspeople in their sudden bereavement.

The body of the young victim was interred this morning in the Catholic section 
of the Portland cemetery, following requiem mass at St. Patrick church by the 
Rev. John A. Koelzer.


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