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Cherokee County Business History


Legal Professions

BRILLIANT YOUNG LAWYER MEETS DEATH
HOMER W. GREEN ACCIDENTLY SHOOTS SELF WITH AUTOMATIC REVOLVER

Last Saturday the residents of this city received one of the severest shocks they have ever been called upon to bear, when the fact was learned that Homer W. Green, a promising young attorney, had accidently shot himself with an automatic revolver. No one knows exactly how the accident happened, as he was in his office alone at the time, his father gone home to lunch a few minutes before. Homer had brought the gun down town that morning, with the intention of selling it, and had shown it to the deputy sheriff with this idea in mind. And it seems that in some way while attempting to put the gun in his pocket or back in the drawer it was accidently discharged, the bullet entering the body close to the pit of the stomach, just a little below the  heart. The charge going clear the body, and was afterward picked up on the floor.

The first persons to reach the place after the accident were Dr. Pitman and O. V. Wright who was in the doctor's office at time, having some dental work done. On  hearing the shot they thought nothing about it, thinking that it was some one down on the street shooting fire crackers, but when they came out of the doctors office they heard groaning, and on entering the law office found the body laying on the floor. Medical aid was at once summoned and the unfortunate young man removed to the Hornbrook hospital but life was extinct when that place was reached.

Homer Whitney Green was born on the 9th of June, 1891, in the city of Cherokee making him a little more than 23 years old at the time of his death. He attended the public schools of this city, and graduate from the Cherokee high school with the class of 1910. After completing his high school course, he attended college at Beloit, Wisconsin, for one year after which he took up the study of law at the University of Iowa, and was admitted to the bar last year. He at once commenced active practice and had been in the law office of Herrick & Herrick for the past year. He was a member of the Speculative Lodge 309, of this city; a member of the Phi Alpha Delta fraternity, and at the time of his death was the assistant secretary of the Cherokee Commercial Club.

The writer of these few lines finds it exceedingly hard to express even in the smallest way his feeling in this matter. The deceased young man was one of his dearest friends having graduated from the local high school in the same class, and having been companions on various occasions. We believe that no one outside of his immediate family was closer connected with Homer Green than we were. The writer had a business engagement with him on this same morning, and was to have had another the same afternoon to complete the unfinished business. And when on being informed that death had touched our friend we were unable to believe it; it seemed impossible, after having just left him an hour or so before, in the best of health and spirits. To the ones who knew him best there will always be a vacant spot left, that no one else can fill. Time is the great healer, but to the ones who were best acquainted with him, and knew the soul of the man even time cannot entirely heal the wound.

Homer Green was one of the most promising attorneys that ever started the practice of law in this city, his fine legal mind and natural ability, combined with his straightforward and upright character, fast bringing him to the front in his chosen profession.

Mr. Jos. Green, father of the young man, and also his sister Miss Daisy Green, are prostrate with grief, and the kind and loving sympathy of scores of friends goes out in this hour of sadness to them. Besides a father, the deceased leaves two brothers, George of Hollywood, California, and Joseph, an officer in the United States army now stationed at Fort Mills and a sister Daisy, besides a large score of friends to mourn his untimely death.

There was no young man in Cherokee to whom the prospects for a success in life looked brighter than they did to this young lawyer, but God's will must be done in all things, not ours; and although the family has lost one of its beloved members, and we have lost a friend who can never be replaced by anyone else, nevertheless we are glad that we can feel that our friend has gone to the land where sorrow and grief are things unknown.

The funeral services were held at the house at 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, with Rev. Thutt of the Presbyterian Church and Rev. Moore of the Congregational Church officiating, the Masonic lodge having charge of the services at the grave. Interment was made in Oak Hill cemetery.

Source: Cherokee Republican, Cherokee, Iowa, 25 June 1914, pg 1

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This page was updated 8 Feb 2021