SMITH, Oliver T. 1858-1904

SMITH

Posted By: Mary F (email)
Date: 1/27/2017 at 15:41:55

HE WAS STRUCK BY A STREET CAR IN KANSAS CITY

His Body Was Brought Back to Sigourney and Laid Beside His Mother Tuesday Morning. He Had a Checkered Career.

Oliver T. Smith died Saturday night at 9:10 at the city hospital at Kansas City. He was rooming at No. 1407 Main Street in Kansas City and while crossing Walnut Street one block east of Main Street going to his room he was struck by an electric car. The car was going down grade at a high rate of speed and just as he was about clearing the car track he was struck by the car throwing him in the air several feet. His body fell with great force on the asphalt pavement. The back of his head struck the curb stone, fracturing the scull at tbe base of the brain. The accident happened at 7:45 p.m. and in a little over an hour he died. He never regained
consciousness or spoke a word.

The body was brought to Sigourney Tuesday morning by John Smith, his brother. Oliver T. Smith was born in Jackson Township, 47 years ago and was reared in Sigourney. He was the son of James Smith who runs the depot hotel. He was a great big hearted boy and if he had a quarter, and you were hungry, the price of a meal was yours. He was his own worst ememy. He had lots of grief in this world. Just last summer he regained his liberty and said to the writer "whiskey was my down fall. It is the greatest curse in the land today. Whiskey is what made me go wrong. I wish I had never taken a drop in the world." Oliver Smith is gone. He had a lot of good qualities. His life is a lesson to many a young man just leaving their 'teens. Profit by Oliver T. Smith's mistakes in life. He was once a romping, baby boy, caressed by a mother's love. Have pity for the fallen.

Clipping from Sigourney News