Adams County, Ritzville, WA ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sue Gardner sueboo18@hotmail.com ==================================================================== The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 4, 1912, issue Auto Accident Kills F. Hoefel Last Sunday afternoon an automobile accident happened which caused Fred Hoefel's death twelve hours later, rendered Mrs. Hoefel unconscious, broke Mrs. Chris Rieckart's rib, scratched the Rieckart baby considerably and demolished the Ford touring car in which the people were riding. Chris Rieckart, who was driving the car, escaped without injury. Mr. Hoefel, who was killed in the wreck, had just returned with his wife from a visit in North Dakota. Mr. Rieckart, who is a brother-in-law of the dead man, had met the couple at the N. P. depot with his car and was taking them to his ranch west of town. When they were in front of the Rosenoff church five miles from town and running at about 25 to 30 miles an hour a dog belonging to Mr. Rosenoff ran in front of the machine and was struck by one of the front wheels, which caused the machine to swerve from its course and strike an embankment at the side of the road and overturn. The occupants of the car were all thrown under the upturned machine. When Mr. Rieckart, who was the only uninjured occupant of the car, had crawled from under the wreck he went to the Rosenoff residence near by and called for assistance. When Mr. Hoefel had been removed from the wreckage it was found that the base of his skull had been crushed. He was made unconscious by the injury and did not recover sensibility before his death, which occurred twelve hours after the accident. The injured people were all removed to the Rieckart home and Dr. Armann was summoned. John Dewald took Rieckart and his injured wife home while H. Oestreich assisted in removing the more seriously hurt couple to the Rieckart ranch. It is believed that Mrs. Hoefel and Mrs. Rieckart were not seriously hurt and their injuries should heal readily, though Mrs. Rieckart, whose rib was boken, has been suffering a great deal. It was feared at first that she had suffered other internal injuries. Fred Hoefel was well known around Ritzville, and had lived in this vicinity for 11 years. He was 48 years old and had twelve children. His funeral was held Wednesday and burial was made in the Hoefel cemetery. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 11, 1912, issue Suicide At Lind Sheriff A. J. Coss was called to Lind today to investigate the death of a young man who committed suicide Wednesday morning. It appears that the fellow was a transient, evidently looking for work, and not finding any, walked into the yard of Mr. Campbell, drew a razor and cut his throat, from which he died a short time afterward. The only means of identification was a piece of paper in the his pocket bearing the name of George Ward. Nothing is known of him. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 18, 1912, issue, Oldest Resident Dies Peter Siemens, said to be the oldest resident of Ritzville, died Monday after an illness of several months. He came to America from Germany 32 years ago and moved to this city six years ago. About a month ago he celebrated his sixtieth wedding anniversary. Besides a widow he leaves four sons, Peter, a farmer near Warden; Julius, a land owner and real estate dealer of Chico, Cal.; J. P., a cashier of the Warden State Bank at Warden, Wash.; Henry, a traveling salesman of Covada; a daughter, Mrs. Schelley of this place, and many grandchildren. He was 89 years old. Mary McBraden LIND - At the home of her parents on Kansas Prairie, 10 miles southwest of Lind, on Wednesday of last week, of cancer of the liver died Mary McBraden, the 1-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Moyer. Funeral services were held from the Methodist church in this city at 10 a.m. Thursday morning, Rev. Mr. Hutton of the Congregational church of Ritzville officiating. Thomas Helm WASHTUCNA - Thomas Helm, formerly of this place died Monday of last week at his home in Kelso. The particulars of his illness have not been learned only that he died suddenly and that his death was caused by heart trouble. Mrs. J. R. Freeman, a half sister of the deceased, was advised by telegram of his death and that his body would be brought here for burial. Preparations were made for his funeral and relatives met the train, but the body did not arrive. Later, word was received that he was buried at Kelso the day following his death. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 25, 1912, issue William Teske William August Carl Teske, for 27 years a resident of this community, passed into the great beyond on the twelfth of this month after a lingering illness of over a year. The funeral services were conducted at the Lutheran church before one of the largest audiences that ever filled the church. Rev. H. Wittrock preached the service in the German language, and Rev. J. Cronek in English. The burial took place at the Lutheran cemetery. Mr. Teske was 59 years and 11 months old, having been born in Pomern Province, Germany, in 1852. In 1882 he married Evaline Milke, and on the day following their marriage they emigrated to America. They first settled in Argentine, Kansas. In 1885 they came to Ritzivlle, where they have lived ever since. Like most of the early settlers, Mr. Teske's early residence in this state was filled with hardships. For several years he worked on the section, but by thrift and economy he was able to gather a competence, and at the time of his death was rated fairly well off. Besides his wife he leaves five grown sons and three daughters, two of whom are married. Baby Drinks Kerosene; Dies ODESSA, July 22 - Victor Zimmerman, the 1-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Zimmerman of this place, met sudden death here yesterday afternoon by drinking coal oil. Mr. Zimmerman was setting some tires at his blacksmith shop when the child got hold of a gallon can of kerosene. Mr. Zimmerman ran to the doctor's office with the boy in his arms and the physician applied a stomach pump. The child, however, breathed his last within two and one-half hours after the accident. The body was buried in the Lutheran cemetery, just west of town, this afternoon, the Rev. William Rhode, pastor of the Lutheran church officiating. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, August 8, 1912, issue Mrs. Anna Marie Mueller Mrs. Anna Marie Mueller died friday, Aug. 2nd, at her home four miles northwest of Ritzville. Deceased was born in Russia in 1874. After her marriage with John Peter Mueller, the couple came to America, settling in Nebraska. After remaining awhile there they came to the Pacific coast, making their home in Tacoma. Mr. and Mrs. Mueller came to Ritzville about two years ago, as here their numerous relatives and friends resided, who, besides her husband and six children, the youngest of which is now three weeks old, are deeply grieved. The burial took place Sunday afternoon, Rev. Wittrock of the Lutheran church, officiating. E. W. Wilson WASHTUCNA - E. W. Wilson, the S. P. & S. operator at Waukee, who was accidentally shot Monday, died yesterday at a hospital in Spokane from the effects of the wound. It appears that he and two other fellows by the name of Allen were shooting at a barrel and in some way a bullet struck a hoop and glanced, striking Mr. Wilson in the back. The operator at this place was notified and Dr. Sherfey was summoned. He accompanied Wilson to Spokane, returning the same evening. The doctor throught him seriously, thought not fatality injured, but did not stay for the operation probing for the bullet. Mr. Wilson was a married man, and at the time of the accident Mrs. Wilson was spending her vacation at Richmond Beach, near Seattle. She was immediately advised by telegram of her husband's misfortune. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, August 15, 1912, issue Esther Alvina Dehnel Esther Alvina, the 2-year-old baby of Albert Dehnel, died last Friday night after a short illness. The little girl was a granchild of Mr. and Mrs. John Wellsandt. The funeral took place last Sunday afternoon at the Lutheran church, and the great number of beautiful flowers testified to the high esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. Dehnel are held by their numerous friends and relatives, who deep sympathize with the grieved parents. Hills Infant WASHTUCNA - The four year old son of John Hills, of LaCrosse, fell into the self feeder of his father's threshing machine Tuesday of last week, and was ground to pieces by the sharp teeth of the cylinder. The accident happened at the Petter Stokke ranch while the crew was cleaning up a setting. The feed was placed on the ground and the boy's clothing caught in the chain feed and in an instant he was carried under the knives of the straw cutters and dumped into the short carrier before being discovered by the crew. Frantic efforts were made to rescue the boy, but the time was too short and he was thrown into the cylinder and cut to shreds. His remains were dug out in small pieces. Coroner Bruning of Colfax was called for and was at the scene of the accident in a short time. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, August 22, 1912, issue Rev. W. H. Harris Word was received by W. J. Bennington yesterday from Ellis B. Harris, Waitsburg, Wash., that his father, Rev. W. H. Harris, had just died. Rev. Harris was formerly pastor of the Christian church in this city. He was prominent in Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges. The funeral will be held today at Waitsburg. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, August 29, 1912, issue Woman Dies Mysteriously On last Friday morning, at her little home five miles southwest of Sprague, Mrs. Eliza Ekin was found out in the barn lot unconscious, and before she could be removed to the house she died. Her fifteen year old son, Roy, who lived with her, had been to the home of S. S. Flinn the night before visiting, and did not return until after nine o'clock. He said that he saw a light out near the barn but did not pay any attention to it, and going upstairs went directly to bed. Arising at about nine o'clock, he went down stairs and not finding his mother, went to the barn. He found her in an unconscious condition near the hen house. As she lay in the sun, he pulled her up in the shade of the hen house and immediately got on a horse and rode to his sister-in-law's home about a quarter of a mile distant. On the road he met M. V. Simas and wife, and telling them that his mother was very sick, they went up to the place where she lay, while he went on to call the doctor and his sister-in-law. When Mr. and Mrs. Simas got to where Mrs. Ekin lay they tried to resuscitate her with cold water, but finding this did no good they tried to carry her to the house, about one hundred fifty yards away. On the way the sick woman gasped a few times and died. Dr. Elmore of Sprague arrived a short time after her death, and upon examination thought best to summon the coroner and the sheriff. Dr. Bice and Sheriff Coss arrived within two hours, and finding no marks upon the body that looked as though there had been any violence, pronounced death as due to apoplexy. It appears from reports regarding the death that the son and his mother had had difficulty and his actions after the death of his mother were rather out of the ordinary in that he showed no signs of grief. Reports concerning his whereabouts the night previous differ, one of which was that he stayed in Sprague over night. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 5, 1912, issue Mrs. James Elliott WASHTUCNA - After nearly a year's illness Mrs. James Elliott died Friday of last week at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Griffith. According to her request funeral services were held at the home and interment made the day following her death. There being no regular minister here, L. F. Eccles, who formerly followed the ministry, preached the funeral sermon. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 12, 1912, issue Lewis Perry WASHTUCNA - Following about four months of severe pain and agony, caused from a sarcoma cancer, Lewis Perry of this placed died Tuesday of last week, and was buried the following day in the Odd Fellows' cemetery. During the month of May this year, Mr. Perry discovered a small growth on his neck just below the jaw bone. It grew rapidly and caused him much pain. The local physician advised an operation and he immediately went to Spokane and had the growth removed. He apparently recovered quickly, but the cancer continued to grow and three months later he submitted to another operation. At this time the physicians advised his sons that he could not live very long. They rented a residence so that he could be given the best possible treatment. He rapidly grew worse and the growth closed the asophagus, so for several days before his death he was unable to take food or water, gradually starving to death. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 19, 1912, issue Death Of Mary Koch Died, at Pasco, Sunday afternoon last, of typhoid pneumonia, Mary Koch, daughter of Mrs. C. E. Koch of this city, aged twenty years, four months and seven days. Her mother, two sisters and five brothers survive. The funeral services were held from the home, and German Lutheran church in this city on Monday morning and the remains were taken to Ritzville, where interment was made beside the father and two sisters, who had preceded her into the great beyond. Allison Infant LIND - The fourteen months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Allison, died at their home in Lind last Thursday morning. An operation was performed Wednesday morning, from which the little girl only partially rallied before her death. She was buried at Walla Walla. Eli Henline WASHTUCNA - C. W. Henline recently received word announcing the death of his brother, Eli, of Pemberville, Ohio. It seems that the deceased had gone into a bank to have a check cashed and while standing before the teller's window suffered a stroke of paralysis from which he never recovered, and died within a short time. In his immediate family he is survived by a wife, son and daughter. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 26, 1912, issue Jacob D. Bauer Dies Suddenly Life is uncertain. One moment we are in hale and healthful condition and the next we may be lying mute before the grim reaper called death. That fact was emphatically demonstrated this morning on the second floor of the Ritzville Trading Company when Jacob D. Bauer dropped dead. It is presumed that the cause of his death was heart disease. Mr. Bauer was a rancher, about 55 years old, who lived ten miles west of town on the Willis Ranch. He has lived in this community for ten years and is very well known as an excellent rancher and a fair dealing man. He came here from Seattle. He and his daughter, Miss Kate Bauer, had come into town yesterday and had stayed at the home of Mr. Willis last night. Mr. Bauer had some checks amounting to about $2500, which he and Mr. Willis were going to cash at the German-American Bank this morning. Mr. Bauer and Mr. Willis had been talking about them but a short time before the latter's death and they were waiting for the bank to open so they could tansact their business. Mr. Bauer had asked Mr. Willis what time the bank opened, and when he was told that it would not be opened until nine o'clock he had said that he had business at the Ritzville Trading Company's store and that he would return to the bank at about nine o'clock. He had then gone to the Trading Company's store and had gone to the second floor with some sewing machine parts which he wanted to have repaired. He had been talking with Henry Oestreich but a few moments, when he staggered backward three or four steps, then stiffened and fell to the floor. He struggled very slightly after falling to the floor, but did not utter a word or sound. Dr. Bice and Dr. Armann were very quickly called from across the street, but when they arrived and made an examination, life was extinct. His death occurred at 8:20 o'clock. Mrs. Bauer, who was alone at the time of her husband's death, was notified of the sad occurrence by telephone. The sons were also notified but it took longer to get into communication with them as they were not at the house when the call came. O. R. Haight, the undertaker, was called and the body was taken to his place, where Dr. Bice, the coroner, was called for the purpose of removing the checks from the pockets of the dead man. Dr. Bice took charge of his effects and the checks which were found and turned over to the German-American bank. Mr. Bauer was a man who seemed to be the personification of health. He weighed about 180 pounds and his dark hair and moustache belied his age. It is not known whether he had ever been troubled with his heart, but he had complained to George H. Kanzler over a year ago that he was having pains in his chest, but he expressed the belief that the trouble was from the affects of a cold, which he had been having, upon his lungs. For some time past, he has apparently been in the best of health and his many friends cannot conceive of the possibility of his sudden demise. He was a member of the First German Congregational church five miles from Ritzville, and always took an active interest in the affairs of the church. He was well liked by his neighbors and practiced his Christianity every day of his life. The only relatives which Mr. Bauer had were those of his immediate family; a wife, three sons and four daughters. His sons are George, Jacob and Karl, while the daughters are Misses Kate and Mabel, Mrs. Jacob Hein of near Odessa, and Mrs. C. C. Schaffer, who lives near this city. At this time no arrangements have been made for the funeral, but it is very probable that it will be held at the German Congregational church of which he was a member. On account of the similarity in the names of the dead man and Jacob Bauer, who is the manager of the Ritzville Trading Company, and on account of the fact that his death occurred in the Trading Company's store, the report has become current that it was the last man named who died. Mr. Bauer of the Trading Company is not dead and the two should not be confused. The dead man's name is Jacob D. Bauer, while the manager of the Trading Company is just Jacob Bauer.