Elizabeth Madeline FARRELL

FARRELL, PORTER, WILSON, WINGERT, HENKEL, YOUNG, MEEKER, BRUCE, WORTHINGTON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:58

September 3, 1902 --- October 30, 1918

Miss Elizabeth Farrell died at her home at Sterling, Ill., last Wednesday morning, her death being caused by a revolver wound which she received the evening before. With two other girl chums she was throwing shelled corn at passing autos near her home. There was an annual corn fall festival on in Sterling at that time and people were celebrating all over the city. A car came by and the girls showered it with corn. The driver, William Bruce, a chauffeur, an English lad, 20 years of age, told his companions that he was going to drive around the block and scare the girls by shooting his revolver. This he did. The revolver was a 32 automatic and he shot too low, the second bullet striking Miss Farrell in the side. He stopped the car when he saw the girl fall and with his employer, Mrs. Fannie Worthington, got out. As they did so, the girls ran away, and he states he supposed he had not hit anyone and drove on. Miss Farrell was taken to a friend's home and later to her own home. She was able to walk a short distance after she was injured. A physician was immediately summoned and he ordered her taken to the Sterling Public Hospital where an operation was performed, but Miss Farrell was unable to withstand the shock and the operation, and passed away between eleven and twelve o'clock, Wednesday, October 30.

The remains were brought to Eagle Grove Saturday morning. Funeral services were conducted at the home of her sister, Mrs Walter Porter, by Rev. Charles H. Seward. Miss Anna Thorpe sang two solos. Interment was in Rose Hill cemetery.

Obituary
Elizabeth Farrell was born in Eagle Grove, September 3, 1902. She lived in Eagle Grove until the Farrell family removed to Sterling, Ill., in June, 1917. She was the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell and is survived by her parents, two sisters, Mrs. Walter Porter of Eagle Grove, Iowa, and Miss Helen Farrell, who is teaching at Laurens, Iowa, and one brother, Leon E. Farrell, who is in the U. S. Army, but at present at home on a furlough, recovering from a serious illness. He was unable to attend the funeral. Those attending the funeral from out of the city were Dr. and Mrs R. E. Wilson and son Reginald of Williams, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Wingert, Elizabeth Henkel, Mrs. J. E. Young, Vernon Young and Dan Young of Iowa Falls, Mrs. Mary Meeker of Toledo, Iowa.

The Farrell family have the sympathy of the entire community in their sorrow. The loss, of their daughter was so unnecessary, so uncalled for, and the result of such criminal carelessness that it is hoped that an example will be made of the perpetrator of the deed, however great his remorse over the death of Miss Farrell may be. He was arrested on the night of the shooting and released under a $3,500 bond the next day. On Miss Farrell's death he was re-arrested and placed under a $5,000 bond. At the inquest Bruce stated that he was a native of England, and that his parents still lived there. He came to this country when he was 15 years of age, and for the last five years had been employed on one of Governor Lowdon's farms and at one time was the governor's chauffeur. He is in class one in the draft and was waiting his call to the army. At the present time he is employed by Mrs. Fannie Worthington as chauffeur. The revolver with which the shooting was done was a 32 caliber, automatic, which they carried in a side pocket in the car and frequently practiced shooting at various objects when driving in the country. He was bound over to the Grand Jury, which meets in January and is at liberty under a $5,000 bond.

Eagle Grove Eagle --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
November 7, 1918