Osborne, Lelia (Died 1904)

OSBORNE

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 2/7/2006 at 14:55:24

From the LeMars Sentinel, Tuesday, September 20, 1904, Page 1, Column 4:

ONE DEAD, MANY SICK
Over a Dozen Victims of Ptomaine Poisoning at Seney
BIRTHDAY FEAST ENDS IN TRAGEDY

Lela (sic-Lelia) Osborne, the Six Year Old Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Osborn (sic--Osborne)
Succumbs to the Effects and Several are Dangerously Ill--Was Busy Time For Doctors

One dead and fifteen suffering more or less from the effects of ptomaine poisoning is the result of eating pressed chicken at a birthday party given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Reeves at Seney on Saturday evening. Members of more than a dozen families in Seney and vicinity are suffering from the effects of the poison and Lela (sic--Lelia), the six year old little girl of John Osborne, succumbed at eight o'clock on Sunday evening to the effects. Her sister, May (sic--Mae) Osborne, age ten years is in a precarious condition and Paul Reeves the five year old son of Robert Reeves is in a very serious condition.

Those who were acutely effected by the poison are:

Miss Jessie Reeves, aged 17.

Ralph Hughes and Vera Hughes, aged 10 and 8 , children of Ed Hughes.

May (sic--Mae) Reeves, aged 8.

Earl, aged 10, the son of Elam Chapman.

Thewart (sic--Thurit) Chapman, aged 11, the son of Grant Chapman.

Guy, the eleven year old son of Elmer Anstine.

Mrs. John Osborne.

Mr. and Mrs. George Reeves and their little daughter Edna.

A twelve year old boy named Daugherty was also one of the victims.

Dr. Richey was called out Sunday morning and later Dr. Mammen was called and they worked hard all Sunday and Sunday night in the efforts to relieve the sufferers several of whom spent hours of agony.

The cause was traced to some pressed chicken by the physicians.

Several ladies assisted in the preparation of the chickens which were killed, boned and pressed early on Saturday morning in preparation for a birthday party which was held at the Reeves house for the young people in the afternoon and evening. Supper was served at half past five, but no bad effects were apparent until well along on Sunday morning, when a dozen different households had patients in dire distress. The neighbors who had been lucky enough to escape were soon busy aiding the sufferers and the little village of Seney was converted into a hospital for the time being.

That the poisoning was directly due to the pressed chicken is conclusively shown by the fact that Lela (sic--Lelia) Osborne, the victim of the sad occurrence, was not at the party. Her older sister, May (sic--Mae) brought home two sandwiches made of pressed chicken and her mother, Mrs. Osborne and the little girl ate them and were taken violently ill early Sunday morning.

Mrs. Osborne was suffering terribly and was unable to minister to her little daughter, Lela (sic--Lelia) who died in the evening.

The tragedy has cast a gloom over the pretty little city, and the calamity is deeply deplored by all.

The funeral of Lela (sic--Lelia) Osborne will be held today at the Methodist church in Seney.
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From the Tribune (town unknown), Tuesday, September 20, 1904, as copied from the pages of the Scrapbook of Fern Cooper, lifelong resident of Seney, (Plymouth), Iowa:

VICTIMS ARE RECOVERING
Now Firmly Believed That Chicken Sandwiches Contained Poison

Special to The Tribune--LeMars, Ia., Sept. 20, 1904

The victims of ptomaine poisoning at Seney and vicinity are recovering slowly, although the case of May (sic--Mae) Osborne, aged 10 years and Paul Reeves, aged 5, are still very dangerous. The fact that the poisoning was due to the eating of pressed chicken at the
birthday party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Reeves is further established by the fact that Lena (Lelia), the six year old child of Mr. and Mrs. John Osborne, was not at the party but ate a sandwich which her older sister, May (sic--Mae), brought home from the party. Mrs. Osborne also ate some of the sandwiches which her little girl brought home and was taken violently ill some hours afterwards. She was unable to tend her child, Lena (sic--Lelia), in the girl's dying moments making the tragedy doubly sad. The tragedy has cast a gloom over the little town of Seney and the calamity is deeply deplored by all.

The funeral of Lena (sic--Lelia) Osborne was held at the Methodist church this (Tuesday) afternoon and was very largely attended. The victims who are still suffering form the effects of the poison are: Miss Jessie Reeves, aged 17; Ralph Hughes and Vera Hughes, aged 10 and 8, children of Ed Hughes; May (sic--Mae) Reeves, aged 8; Earl, aged 10, the son of Elam Chapman; Thewart (sic--Thurit), aged 11, a son of Grant Chapman; Guy, the 11 year old son of Elmer Anstine; Mrs. John Osborne; Mr. and Mrs. George Reeves and their little daughter, Edna; a 12 year old boy named Dougherty is also one of the sufferers. The physician in attendance reports the case of May (sic--Mae) Osborne as extremely precarious.

The chickens which were used for edibles were killed and dressed in the forenoon and after having been boned and pressed were set away in crocks until the evening when they were made into sandwiches. It is supposed the hot weather generated toxin in the chicken meat.
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LeMars Sentinel, Friday, September 23, 1904, Page 1, Column 2:

Seney--The funeral of little Lela (sic--Lelia) Osborne which was held here last Tuesday afternoon was the largest attended of any in this part of the country for some time. Rev. Gleason had charge of the funeral. The body was interred in the city cemetery at LeMars.
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LeMars Sentinel, Sept. 27, 1904

Obituary.

Six years ago, the sixteenth day of August, Lelia Francis came to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Osborne, of Seney. Sunday, September the eighteenth, her soul departed from its earthly home and went to live with the angels.

On Tuesday four of her little friends Maude Lancaster, Ione Ewin, Minnie Witt, and Eva Buss bore her to the church where many sympathizing relatives and friends viewed for the last time the sweet face so dear to all.

A profusion of beautiful flowers graced the altar and covered the little white casket. Their sweet fragrance served a fitting symbol of the pure sweet life of Lelia.

Rev. Gleason's few remarks were a lasting tribute to our little friend. Sorrowing hearts were soothed with the thought of again meeting her and although the Father in his infinite wisdom took our treasure away, it was only that she might welcome us home.

Her body was taken to the LeMars cemetery and placed in the care of mother earth.