Frank Wooner (1900)

WOONER

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 6/27/2007 at 14:04:43

Winterset Madisonian
Thursday, February 15, 1900
Page 1

Sad Death at the Poor Farm

Last fall Frank Wooner, a boy about 15 years old, came to Peru in company with a band of horse traders from Algona, Kossuth county. After staying with Frank Hann for some time, he went to the poor farm, where he remained a short time till he secured employment with D. M. Eldridge, of South township.

The boy was in poor health and consulted a doctor in St. Charles, who told him he had disease of the kidneys and to diet on milk. The boy wanted to go home and see his mother, and Auditor Stiles notified the auditor of Kossuth county, who refused to aid, and suggested that the boy be sent to the reform school. Auditor Stiles then wrote to the boy’s father and received a letter in reply, stating that he was unable to pay the expense of Frank’s railroad fare, also stating that his mother was nearly crazy with grief over her boy.

Last Saturday the boy again came to the auditor’s office, and upon learning of the word received from Kossuth cried bitterly, saying he was feeling badly and wanted to get home and see his mother. Mr. Stiles consulted with Mr. Dunlap, the only member of the board of supervisors then in the city and concluded at once to advance him the money to return home with. The poor boy cheered up at the thought of home and mother, and said he would stay at the poor farm till the first of the week as he was not feeling able to make the journey.

Sunday morning Steward Banker came to Winterset and returned with Dr. Embree who found the boy in a critical condition from Bright’s disease. Embree came to Winterset again and returned with Dr. Lawson, and everything possible was done to save the boy’s life, but he grew worse and dies Sunday night about 8 o’clock.

We feel like commending the authorities here for their prompt and humane action. As to the Kossuth county authorities, we trust that their conscience does not condemn them so severely as we would were we to express our opinion.

Transcriber’s note: Whether the body was buried at the poor farm or sent back to Kossuth county is unknown.