Claise Mitchell

MITCHELL

Posted By: Volunteer - Karen DaPra
Date: 10/1/2001 at 12:39:50

HUNTING ACCIDENT
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NINETEEN YEAR OLD YOUTH KILLED SUNDAY
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BODY WAS FOUND IN FIELD
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GUN WAS ACCIDENTLY DISCHARGED AND INFLICTED WOUND IN RIGHT SIDE
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A terrible accident took place about three miles southwest of Bonaparte Sunday evening or night, by which another human life was sacrificed to the propensity so common among people to kill birds and animals either for sport or to rid the country of them.

Sunday afternoon about 4 o'clock Claise Mitchell, son of Thos. Mitchell, procured a gun and went out to shoot crows. Supper time came and the young man did not return, and not returning at nightfall, the family became alarmed and had a search instituted for him. A party scoured the vicinity until late into the night until finally about 1.30 [sic] o'clock Monday morning Everett Johnson came upon the young man's corpse. He had been shot in the side, the charge passing through him and coming out under his left arm.

He was lying on his back with his arms folded across his breast and it was evident to those who found him that he had been conscious a little while after receiving the wound, and that he had been conscious a little while after receiving ths [sic] wound [sic].

The gun which had cause [sic] his death was lying by his side. In it was an empty shell.

In the course of his hunting the young man had come upon a corn planter standing in a field on the Jacob Muntz firm [sic]. He had set his gun down by the planter, and in raising it up it had probably been accidentally discharged with the result above stated. After he was shot the young man walked to a plow standing in the field about 100 feet distant where his body was found. He was tracked from the planter to the plow not only by his footprints but by a trail of blood.

Young Mitchell was 19 years of age and was the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell. The funeral was held at Story chapel yesterday afternoon, the interment being in the Thompson cemetery. His tragic death was a great shock not only to his parents and near relatives, but to the whole community.

(Photocopy of this obit is located on page 36 of Obit Book A found in the Van Buren County Iowa Genealogical Society's collection at the Keosauqua Public Library in November 1999. Name and date of newspaper not given.) ORIGINAL POST 15 Nov 1999.

I am not related to this person and am posting this obit for those who may find him/her in their family history.