McDermott, John died 1883

MCDERMOTT, DUNN

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/5/2017 at 10:15:37

Elkader Register, Fri., 26 Oct. 1883.

On Tuesday evening of this week, at the residence of John Dunn, occurred a very sad accident, resulting in the death of John McDermott, a deaf and dumb man who resided with them.

The family had retired for the night and Mr. McDermott had gone to his bed in the upper part of the house, which is of logs, but at about half past eleven he got up and started down stairs on an errand of some kind, and making a miss-step fell head-first down the stairs, his head striking against a projecting knot in one of the logs. Mr. Dunn heard the noise of the fall and immediately got up to see what had caused it. When he reached Mr. McDermott, he was bleeding profusely from a hole in the back of his head, and after lingering along for about four hours, died. The hole in his head was about one-half inch in diameter, and must have penetrated through the skull, as when his head was held up the blood ceased running from the wound, and came flowing through his mouth.

Mr. McDermott was about 70 years of age, and has several brothers and sisters residing in the county. He had lived with Mr. Dunn's family for a long time and his death is to them almost like one of their own family. The funeral will take place to-day.