Obituary: Rock County, Wisconsin: Donald J. TOLLES ************************************************************************ Submitted by Ruth Ann Montgomery, June 2005 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ DEATH CALLS DONALD TOLLES Accidental Discharge of Old Pistol Kills Only Son of Mr. and Mrs. Burr Tolles The people of Evansville were much shocked last Sunday to learn that little Donald Tolles, the thirteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Burr W. Tolles, had accidentally met his death on the George Rasmussen farm, where he and some other boys were playing at hunting with an old revolver that one of them had found. It was one of the old single barrel kind and the hammer was out of repair, so that it would not stay cocked, and in attempting to slip a cartridge into the breach it is supposed that the hammer slipped and struck the cartridge, the bullet, one of 22 caliber, entered Donald's heart, killing him instantly. Deputy Sherrif E. H. Libby was at once called, and by virtue of his office acted as coroner and the body was at once moved to the home of Mr. Locke Pierce, who was the little boy's uncle, and at whose home he was spending the Sunday, when the accident occurred. It was so plainly an accidental shooting that no inquest was held nor no one blamed for its occurrence. The funeral was held Wednesday, an account of which will be found in another column. OBITUARY Donald J. Tolles Donald J. Tolles, son of Mr. and Mrs. Burr W. Tolles, of this city, was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, December 21, 1906, departing this life April 14, 1918. The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, a short prayer service first being held at the home for the immediate relatives, and the regular funeral services at the Methodist Episcopal church, conducted by Rev. Charles Coon, of Lake Mills, a little later. Never since Evansville has been incorporated has there been such a large gathering to honor the dead as assembled to do honor to the little boy whom all loved and respected. The sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the city schools had been released so that the children might do honor to one who had been their comrade and friend, and the Evansville and Bower City Bands, of which the deceased was a member, were there to pay him the last tribute of their love and respect. The funeral service was one of true mourning, and hundreds of faces in the big church were wet with tears as the thought came to them how they would miss the familiar form and face of him who had "Gone Before." The united bands played softly and reverently "Nearer My God to Thee," and the Misses Gladys Miller and Stella Pearce sang "I Think When I Read That Sweet Story of Old" and "My Dear, Dear Country," and love and grief and loyalty sounded with every note. The pallbearers, the little friends and playmates who knew and loved van Cary, Leighton Carons, Leonard Stair, Eugene Ballard and Tom Cain. The floral offerings of love and respect were beautiful in design and their number almost unlimited and were arranged by loving hands in a beautiful bank that showed their beauty to the uttermost. The procession to the cemetery is said to be the largest ever held in the city and was led by the united bands of which Donald was a member, and as the last carnations were laid upon the coffin lid, friends and family realized that the little Donald, whom they had learned to love so well, had indeed "Gone Before." In the tragic passing of little Donald Tolles is seen the workings of an all wise Providence, whose wisdom none can question nor mysterious ways dispute. The only child, he was taken from a loving home, where every care and attention was given him, and where in the hearts of loving parents, he reigned supreme. Little Donald was a child of more than usual attainments and of a disposition that endeared him to all who knew him; kind, loving and gentle, yet with a sturdy manliness that denoted that in future years he would make a manly man, such as men admire and women adore. It is sad that one so young and promising should be taken and the sympathy of the people of Evansville and almost the whole country go out to the bereaved parents in this, the greatest of all griefs. April 18, 1918, Evansville Review, p. 1, cols. 4 & 5, Evansville, Wisconsin [note: there appear to be lines missing in the listing of the pall bearers.