CLAPSADDLE, George (1883-1916)

CLAPSADDLE

Posted By: Hancock Co Genealogical Society (email)
Date: 5/2/2015 at 15:38:01

MORE ABOUT THE DEATH OF GEORGE CLAPSADDLE

Killing Was Wholly Accidental, So Finds Coroner's Jury.

MEN ALL GOOD FRIENDS AND SHOOTER CRAZED BY SORROW

Clapsaddle Had Lived Many Years at Corwith - Funeral Draws Many to Attend His Burial

The following account of the accident reported briefly last week on which Geo Clapsaddle, son of J. P. Clapsaddle, of Corwith, lost his life has been taken from Tom J. White's Boone Democrat:

Another case of the old saw, "I didn't know it was loaded," resulted in a fatal shooting at Berkley Wednesday night, Nov. 29, when George Clapsaddle was instantly killed by the accidental discharge of a revolver in the hands of Anton Benson. His last words were, "I don't want you to point that gun at my head." Almost immediately the gun was discharged, and Clapsaddle fell to the floor, and died almost instantly.

JURY EXONERATES BENSON

The killing caused great excitement at Berkley, here all the parties are well known. Word was immediately sent to Boone and Sheriff Reid and County Attorney Ganoe hastened in an automobile to the scene to investigate. The names of all the parties concerned in the affair were taken, Statements secured, and those directly concerned brought to Boone, and held pending an inquest. The remains were brought to the Jones undertaking parlors in this city, and the inquest held Thursday afternoon.

After the inquest a postmortem was held and the bullet extracted, to see, if it was from the revolver in question. This proved to be the case, and the jury returned a verdict of accidental shooting, and the parties were discharged from custody.

MEN ALL GOOD FRIENDS

The testimony showed that the men were all friends, and that no ill feelings existed between them.

Thomas P. Kelleher, Barney Kenan, Bill Steinhoff, and Harry Roberts had been to Perry in the Kelleher car, and returning, stopped at the restaurant in Berkley about 11:30 o'clock.

Then Kenan and Keller went to the McCann building, where Carl and Charles Johnson and Anton Benson sleep. They found there also several others, including George Clapsaddle. They were all sitting about the room talking. Kenan had a revolver and was toying with it. He handed it to Benson, with the remark that there was nothing in it but blank cartridges. Then Clapsaddle made the remark quoted above, and the fatal shot was fired.

Later: Kenan was arrested and brought before Justice Carswell on a charge of carrying a gun. He plead not guilty, and was placed under $1,000 bonds to appear for trial next Saturday, December 9.

BULLET STRUCK HIM in HEART

The Corwith Hustler gives some additional facts. The bullet struck George in the heart, killing him instantly. The accident almost crazed Benson, who had to be watched, to prevent him from committing suicide.

George was 33 years old, and had lived at Corwith most of his life. At evangelistic meetings held there some years ago he was converted, and joined the Methodist church. He is survived by his father, one sister, and six brothers.

The body was buried in the Corwith cemetery a week ago Saturday afternoon, beside those of his mother and a deceased brother, after very largely attended funeral services at the Corwith Methodist church. In the funeral procession there was a string of automobiles more than half a mile long.

source: Kossuth County Advocate, 13 Dec 1916, page 4, column 4-6