Reier, William died 1888

REIER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 1/15/2023 at 12:49:27

Elkader Register, Thur., 07 Jun. 1888.

On Saturday evening our town was considerably startled by the announcement that Wm. Reier, a well digger, had been found dead near Ceres. He had been employed at Otto Schmelzer's farm in quarrying rock. On Saturday, Mr. Schmelzer, Mr. Peter Behrens and Wm. Reier went to Guttenberg in order to get 3 loads of lumber, each one driving a team. On returning William was behind the rest. After passing Ceres the two leading teams drove on without noticing William, as they thought he was immediately behind them. Suddenly the team which William drove came up at a rapid pace, without a driver. The team was secured and Mr. Behrens returned to seek the driver. He found him lying in the road breathing his last. He immediately called for help, but before any arrived William was dead. Coroner Cain was sent for. He arrived Sunday, and proceeded immediately to examine into the case. A jury was impaneled and a number of witnesses examined. Dr. C. W. Duffin made a post mortem examination. The result of which showed that a large artery in the region of the pelvis had been ruptured, evidently from the wheel of the wagon passing over his body, and that the cause of his death was internal hemorrhage. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts. The body being in a condition which did not admit of its being kept long, putrefaction having set in, was buried at the old cemetery in Garnavillo, on Sunday afternoon.