John Gute, 1896 Obituary

GUTE

Posted By: ddr (email)
Date: 7/28/2010 at 18:08:11

(Translated from Der Carroll Demokrat, 16 October 1896)

Mr. John Gute

We herewith fulfill an especially sad duty in reporting the sudden death of an old acquaintance, Mr. John Gute. On Wednesday the deceased was in Willey celebrating a happy occasion among pleasant company. Around one o’clock at night he was driving home from Willey, and because it was indeed very dark, instead of driving home he mistakenly drove in the direction of Carroll. When he realized his mistake, he wanted to turn around, but in so doing he fell down from his buggy. Then Messrs. Christopher Welch and Peter Everts came along the road. They helped the old gentleman, and then Messrs. Wm. Düwel [Duewel], Wm. Rutten, and John Tigges also came along. The harness was straightened out and the old man was helped onto the buggy. The first-named men drove in the front in their cart, then followed John Gute, and lastly the other gentlemen. These latter men, however, soon turned off because they were going to the farm of Mr. John Hansmann. Close by the farm of Mr. Frank Flies, the road cuts across a hill, and instead of keeping in the road the old gentleman veered somewhat to the right and drove on the side of the road over the hill. When people passed on the road on Thursday morning, John Gute was found lying face-down on the ground. The tracks showed that the accident victim had been dragged about 20 to 30 feet. They immediately summoned the coroner, who examined the deceased and determined that John Gute had died from a fall from the buggy. His neck and a leg were broken, indicating that death must have been instantaneous. The two men who were driving in front were, in any case, too far away [to assist] because neither of the two had any idea what type of horrible accident had occurred. The horses were found again nearby in Henry Klocke’s pasture, near the wire fence, while the buggy was located turned over on this side of the fence. The horses were injured, and the buggy was rather smashed. We commiserate with the elderly, good Mother Gute, because she was attached with every fiber of her heart to her faithful life’s companion. The surviving sons and daughters of the deceased also have our deepest sympathy. The funeral takes place Saturday morning at nine o’clock in Willey.