BUCEY, George E.: 1868-1906

BUCEY

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri (email)
Date: 9/10/2013 at 09:12:08

KILLED BY THE CARS.
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Particulars of the Death of Geo. E. Bucey. Horribly Crushed by Railroad Train. Funeral at Douds Last Friday
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[From Kenosha, Wis., News of Aug. 22]

George Bucey, aged 38 years, a resident of Douds Station, Iowa, and a member of the band employed with the Siebel Dog and Pony show, died at the Kenosha hospital last night as a result of injuries received by being run over by a switch train on the Chicago and Northwestern road just after four o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Bucey met an awful death, as the entire lower part of his body was crushed under the train and before he died the physician in charge of the case had amputated both of his legs.

The accident cast a blight over the performance at the big tent on Market street and many of the rugged show men hurried from the sow to the hospital and morgue and cried like children when they discovered that their comrade had passed away.

Bucey was one of the most valuable musicians employed by the show and he was rated by the management as an all round man. The dead man had not been feeling well on Tuesday afternoon and after playing at the performance he had gone to the car of the company, which ws on one of the switch tracks near the station. He went into the car and changed his clothes and came ou telling the other employes of the company that he thought he would walk back to the tent and see what was doing. A freight train was being switched north on the passing track, which ws just east of the track on which the Siebel car stood and Bucey stepped over on the track in front of thee train from the north was just pulling in and Bucey seemed to be intent on watching it. The men saw him standing on track, but the train backed up so fast that they had no time to call to him and he was crushed under the wheels. Before the train could be stopped two trucks had passed over the prostrate form of the musician. Bruised and bleeding, yet conscious, he was removed from under the train and an ambulance was summoned to remove him to the hospital. Doctors Robinson, Wm. Pugh and Gephart were called to attend him and from the first it was evident that the man had little chance to live. The right leg was taken off at the hip and the left one just below the knee. It was impossible to give the man an anesthetic and he bore the operation like a soldier. He died just before eight o'clock as the result of the shock of the accident. A coroner's jury was called to view the remains after which they were removed to the Miller & Cosgrove morgue and prepared for burial. Bucey is a single man and a member of a well known family at Douds Station, Iowa. Before he was operated on he gave the officials the address of his mother and asked that she be notified of the accident. It is expected that a ??other of the dead man will be ??re today to take charge of the remains.

The managers of the show paid a high tribute to the dead man last night and stated that he was the most valuable all round man in the organization.
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At his home in Douds and among his many friends and acquaintances in Van Buren county, the deceased was familiarly called Ed. All here knew him by that name. Everybody liked him, for his was a generous heart. He was a man of good habits, kind and sociable. In Keosauqua he was well known, for he often visited here when at home. He had not been at his home in Douds for over two years, but wrote his mother a couple of weeks ago that he would soon be back on a visit. Both his father and mother live at Douds, also his only brother, Henry Bucey, of the Talbott Sisters store, and deep sympathy is expressed for these relatives in their affliction.

**Handwritten: 1906

Geo. E. Bucey was born at Alpine, in Wapello county, Iowa, Aug. 8, 1868, making his age 38 years and 14 days at the time of his death, viz., Aug. 21, 1906. Eighteen years ago he came with his parents to Douds and that place has since been his home, though much of the time he was away, employed in his vocation, that of a band musician. He was a single man. He was a member of the order of K. of P. and was buried in the honors of that organization by his home lodge at Douds.

The body reached Douds Friday, the 24th, accompanied by his brother Henry, who had gone to Kenosha, Wis., as soon as he received the telegram announcing the accident, and the funeral was held from the home that afternoon, where there were brief services in charge of Rev. Berg. The burial was in the Mr. Moriah cemetery.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 234, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA