Adams County,  Ritzville, WA  

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The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, April 2, 1914, issue

Out Of Work; Takes His Life
	"Notify Christina Fleming, at Ritzville, Wash."
	This is one of the last sentences written by George A. Fleming, at one time a barber in
this city, and where his wife and little child are now staying. He was found dead in his bed at
the Vinson lodging house, located at the corner of Howard street and Trent avenue, Spokane,  
Sunday evening at seven o'clock. Death was caused from poisoning. A box of cyanide of potasium
was found in the room, a dose of which was believed to have caused his death.
	Mr. Fleming will be remembered by the people here as the man who was brought back here
from California this spring to answer to a statutory charge filed against him by the girl whom he
had wronged while living in Ritzville. Soon after his return he married the girl, and about three
weeks ago left here to hunt for a job.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, April 9, 1914, issue

Takes Poison By Mistake
	Adam Schwartz Dies of Carbolic Acid Poisoning
	The citizens of Ritzville were considerably agitated last Friday morning when the startling
news was circulated on the streets that Mr. Adam Schwartz of near Odessa, had died of carbolic
acid poisoning, taken by mistake for a stimulant.
	It is alleged that Mr. Schwartz walked into a drug store in the morning, and told the clerk
that he was sick, and wanted a drink of something, which was given him. He stayed in the drug store
for some time, and finally left, going to Fred Thiel's pool room, where, it is said, he walked to
the rear part of the room wherein is located a sink at which he took a drink of water. He then passed
back through the room and onto the street, without speaking to anyone. He then walked back up Main
street to Mr. Becker's shoe shop. As soon as Mr. Becker saw him he knew there was something the
matter and tried to get the man to talk. Mr. Schwartz made an effort to speak and make Mr. Becker  
understand him, but he was so badly convulsed and partially paralyzed that he could not make utterance.
He made an effort to arise from the chair upon which he was seated, but could not do so, and in a
few minutes he was dead.
	Mr. Schwartz was at one time a resident of Ritzville, but in recent years has been making
his home with this son-in-law, Mr. Frank Smith, on a ranch west of town.
	At the time of his death he was 62 years of age and leaves a family of three daughters and
two sons, all grown and married, to mourn his untimely death.
	Funeral services were held on Monday, and interment was in the cemetery close to the ranch
on which he lives.

Little Boy Burned To Death
	Reubin Hoff, the six year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Hoff, residing sixteen miles southwest
of town and one mile east of Moody, was burned to death last Wednesday afternoon. The little fellow
was playing about the field in which the Hoffs were cleaning up weeds with a large iron harrow,
and wihch they had fired for the purpose of burning the weeds as they were raked up when in some
manner he got under the machine and before he could be extricated he was so badly burned that he was
dead. The funeral services are to be held today. -Odessa Record

Mrs. Shaw Dies
	Mrs. Vernie Shaw, of Lind, who had been an inmate of the Ritzville Hospital for some time,
died at that institution last Friday morning. For a week prior to her death she had been showing
some slight improvement and it was a surprise to many here when it was learned that she had passed
away. The funeral was held on Sunday, April 5th, and interment took place in the Bemis cemetery,
near Ralston.

Charles Johnson Dies
	The many friends of Charles Johnson in this city were pained to learn of his death last
week in Portland, where he has been living with his granddaughter for some time.
	For many years Mr. Johnson has been a resident of Ritzville, owning two valuable pieces
of residence property here. He has been one of the old reliable employees of Adams county during
the terms of court, having acted as bailiff in Judge Holcomb's court for a number of years, and
will be greatly missed in that capacity.
	During the winter Mr. Johnson was not feeling well, and he made up his mind to go to
Portland, where he could have better care, but it seems that he did not regain much strength, and
on last Friday, passed to the great beyond. The funeral was held on Sunday last.  
	Mr. Johnson at the time of death, was 80 years of age.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, April 16, 1914, issue

Child Of 5 Dies From Poison
	The five year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Giles, residents of the Benge community, died
Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 at the family home of ptomaine poisoning. On Monday evening, previous to
the sad event, a can of peas was opened for the evening meal, being placed after opening on a shelf
in the pantry. The little fellow, observing what was being done, went to the pantry and taking some
of the peas from the can, ate them. In the forenoon of the following day he complained of feeling
ill and Dr. Pool of Benge was called in attendance, pronouncing it a case of acute poisoning. At
half past two in the afternoon the little one passed away.
	The funeral services were held in this city today, and interment had in the Ritzville cemetery.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, April 23, 1914, issue

Horse Falls; Rider Dies
	Henry Rust, a young man who has been employed on the Jess Watkins ranch near Ritzville, met
with a fatal accident Tuesday, when a horse which he was riding fell with him fracturing his skull,
from the effects of which he succumbed.
	Dr. Burroughs was called on the case but could do nothing to help the unfortunate young
man, who did not regain consciousness after the accident, and he passed away at about 3 o'clock
Wednesday morning.
	His relatives were notified, and his father is on the way from Minneapolis, Minn., the
home of the family. He will not arrive here before Friday morning, consequently we are unable to
give any information in regard to funeral arrangements before going to press.

Kills Husband, Slashes Self
	Edward Sheppard is Killed by Wife at Hillyard
	Edward Sheppard, a retired farmer, age 66, was cut with a razor in the hands of his wife
at their home in Hillyard at 4:45 a.m. last Friday and died a few minutes later. The jugular vein
and other parts of the throat were lacerated. After writing a note in which she acknowledged
commission of the deed, Mrs. Sheppard turned the razor on herself, cutting a gash from the back
of the neck to the windpipe. She is still alive and it is believed she has a good chance for recovery.
	William McBride, marshal of Hillyard, and Coroner S. P. Seaburg, who investigated the
case and interviewed the woman, expressed belief that she is demented.
	Asleep in the bed at the moment of attack, Sheppard did not awaken, it appears, until
after the assault. He ran to a part of the the house where until recently a telephone had been
situated, then to the back door, where he called for Joe Hendricks, his son-in-law, who lives near.
Joe Thomas heard the call and summoned Dr. W. S. Gaines and Dr. J. Farrow.
	The Sheppards were married in Denver last October. Both had lived in the vicinity of Ritzville,
and both had been married before. Sheppard had lived in Hillyard two years and is survived by
three children, Mrs. J. E. Kendricks, wife of a barber at Hillyard; David Sheppard, farmer, of
Downs, Wash., and Mrs. Emma Larmer, who lives near Ritzville.
	Improvement is reported in both the physical and mental condition of Mrs. Cassie Sheppard.
She has been visited at the Sacred Heart hospital by her two brothers, one of whom is George
Johnson of this city, the other a resident of Idaho. Relatives are quoted as having said that she
suffered mental lapses at times.

Death Of Theodore Morach
	Mr. Theodore Morach, a young man, 22 years of age, and son of Rev. and Mrs. Morach of this
city, died suddenly on his homestead in Montana a few days ago. The remains were brought to this
city and the funeral services were held in the German Congregational church last Sunday, and of which
church his father is pastor, Rev. F. Egerland, pastor of the Zion Congregational church, officiating.
Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, April 30, 1914, issue

Meets Death With Rifle
	John D. Schimke, one of the most prominent farmers of the Odessa country, was killed last
Friday morning between the hours of 9:30 and 10 o'clock, in his blacksmith shop on the home place,
four miles north of Odessa. A bullet from a 30-30 rifle was the cause of death, the gun having been
supposedly fired by him while in a state of temporary insanity and death is supposed to have ensued
immediately.  
	Mr. Schimke had been suffering with appendicitis for the past few years, and recently was
down with mumps. This probably aggravated his suffering as he had been nervous and restless for the
past week.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, May 14, 1914, issue

Grandma Rushing Dies
	Grandma Rushing, an old resident of Ritzville, and well known to some of our older citizens,
died in Spokane, Wednesday, May 6, at 6:25 a.m. She was taken to Cheney on Friday, where the body
was interred in the Cheney cemetery where her husband and two sons are buried. SHe was the mother
of Gentry Rushing, and at the time of her death was 76 years of age.

Msay 21, 1914 issue is missing from files

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, June 4, 1914, issue

Body Of Girl Found In River

	The body of Miss Bertha Schimke, aged 16, who disappeared from St. Luke's hospital in
Spokane a week ago, was found in the Spokane river about three quarters of a mile below the Fort
George Wright foot bridge at 6 o'clock Saturday night and was removed an hour later.
	Dr. C. E. Butts, deputy coroner, who accompanied the police, said the body suggested it had
been in the water nearly a week. Dr. Lamber communicated by telephone last night with Daniel E.
Schimke, the uncle, at Odessa.
	The mother of the girl, Mrs. Bertha Schimke, has been confined to her home on a farm near
Odessa by illness for several weeks. The doctor considered it probable that the body would be
shipped to Odessa for interment.
	"Miss Schimke suffered from nervous and mental trouble for several months," said Dr. Lambert,
"but was in a nearly normal condition for several days before her disappearance. Her condition was
attributed to the death of her father, to whom she was greatly attached."
	She slipped away from St. Luke's hospital late last Sunday afternoon, but was overtaken by
a special nurse in charge of her as she was boarding a street car and returned to the institution.
	At 6:40 the same evening, while the attention of the nurse was engaged, she slipped away
again, and although her absence was discovered soon after and a search began by hospital attaches
and the police, no trace was found.

The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, June 11, 1914, issue

Loses Life In Auto Accident
	H. C. Questard, telegraph operator for the N. P. road at Cunningham, met death in an
automobile accident at an early hour last Saturday morning while driving in the country about six
miles west of Cunningham.
	Mr. Questard and companions, Miss Ethel Blalock, Miss Bales and John Bales were on their
way home from a dance when the accident happened and were running at a high rate of speed.
	It was ascertained that Mr. Questard had relatives living in his former home at Detroit,
Michigan, who were immediately notified of the sad accident. The body was taken to Connell and
prepared for shipment to the home of his relatives.
	Mr. Questard was a young man, well and favorably known, and well thought of by all who
knew him, and leaves a host of friends and regret the fatal accident.

Mrs. Newland Passes Away
	After Long Illness She Is Called To Her Reward
	It is with regret that we are called upon to chronicle the passing away of one of our
greatly respected pioneer lady residents, Mrs. A. S. Newland.
	She had been ailing for some time, but there was no suspicion that the end was so near
until last Friday morning, when her condition was such that the physician and friends of the lady
knew that the time had come.
	Sarah Frances Hickman was born in St. Louis county, Missouri, in 1853. In 1880 she was
married to Mr. A. S. Newland. Her father, Joshua Hickman, was a noted man in church circles and
was for many years a pastor in St. Louis.
	She came to Adams county in 1884, taking up a homestead, and the family have been residents
of this section until the present time.
	Funeral services were held in the Congregational church in this city on Sunday, June 7th,  
and was one of the largest funerals ever held in this section, the church being inadequate to
accommodate the many friends who attended the last sad rites.
	Besides the immediate family, she is survived by two brothers and two sisters.
	Mrs. Newland was a staunch church member and a good friend to all who needed sympathy and
advice; highly respected by all, and will be greatly missed by a large circle of friends in Adams
county.