Iowa
Old Press
Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee co. Iowa
August 13, 1915
Killed by the Cars
Earle Percifield, aged 17, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Percifield
of this city and his cousin, Will Percifield, aged 20, left
Postville last Friday on a Milwaukee freight bound for Aurora,
Ill. About 3:00 a.m. Saturday the freight pulled in on the siding
at Galena, Ill., to let the fast mail go by. At this point the
siding and main line run very close to each other. The morning
was foggy, and as the freight came to a stop the boys got off the
train to stretch themselves, not realizing the peril they
incurred in doing so.
They had little more than set foot on the ground when the limited
shot by at a terrific speed, the suction of the train drawing
them beneath the wheels, killing Earle outright and fearfully
mutilating his body, while Will was crippled for life, all the
toes being cut off his right foot and three toes off his left and
he was otherwise bruised. Will was promptly hurried to Finley
Hospital in Dubuque, where he now is, and is getting along as
well as possible. Although in a dazed condition he was able to
give his name and say he was from Postville. Mr. Percifeld (sic)
was at once notified and left on the noon train Saturday for
Dubuque expecting to find that it was his own son. On arriving
there he learned that another boy had been killed at the same
time Will had been injured and was about to be buried at Galena.
The authorities were at once notified to postpone burial, while
Mr. Percifield hurried on to find that it was his own boy that
had met so fearful a fate. The reason word of Earle's death was
not sent here was owing to mistaken identity under the following
circumstances: A few weeks ago a tent theater exhibited here and
one of the employes lost a vest pocket memorandum which Earle
found the following day and stuck in his pocket. The book
contained the address of a party in the state of Vermont, and a
telegram to that address brought the answer the family was too
poor to pay the cost of transportation and to bury him there.
Hence the misfortune of poverty is all the reason Mr. Percifield
had the opportunity to identy and bury his son.
Mr. Percifield accompanied [the body] home on the early morning
train Monday and at three o'clock that afternoon the funeral was
held from the home, conducted by Rev. W.R. Mellott of the
Methodist church. Interment in the Postville cemetery.
The floral offerings were profuse and beautiful, it requiring the
services of about fifteen boys and girls to convey them to the
cemetery. The tenderest sympathy of all goes out to the bereaved
family in their time of affliction under circumstances
particularly sad. In this connection the family wish to extend
their heartfelt thanks to the many friends and neighbors for
their kindly acts and comforting words in their hour of great
sorrow.
Found Dead in Field
James Bell, living near Forest Mills, Franklin township, died
very suddenly Sunday afternoon, says the Waukon Journal.
About 4 o'clock he went out to look at his oat field, where some
cutting had been done the day before. Not returning at supper
time members of the family went in search of him. He was found
dead in the field within thirty rods of the house. He had been
afflicted with heart trouble for some years and this,
undoubtedly, was the cause of his death. Coroner Lewis and
Sheriff Larson went to the scene that evening but an inquest was
deemed unnecessary. The deceased was one of the old residents of
that section. He was 61 years old and is survived by his wife,
four daughters and a son.
Found Dead by Roadside
Frank Teeple, one of the oldest residents of Ludlow township, but
who moved to Waukon last spring, was stricken with death Tuesday
about 4 p.m. while driving to his farm from town, the Waukon
Journal says. Chas. Wallace found his body by the roadside.
Death was due to heart trouble, from which he had suffered for
many years.
Accepted Dare and is Near Death
Ralph B. Wells of North McGregor accepted a dare and was severely
injured. He and a companion had been swimming in the Mississippi,
and diving from the bridge which crosses the river at that place.
A telephone pole tops the high span of the bridge, and from the
top of this pole the young man attempted to dive. The pole was
about in the middle of the span, making it necessary to jump out
about six feet before taking the drop of eighty five feet to the
water below. He lost control of himself in falling, and struck on
his back and right shoulder, the force of the impact rendering
him unconscious. His companion, Will Bayless, rushed to his
assistance and saved him from drowning. Prompt medical assistance
was rendered, and he is now on the road to recovery.
Foot Cut Off By Mower
A bad accident happened about five p.m. Saturday over in the old
Ferris Mill neighborhood, the Waukon Journal relates,
whereby Theodore Slinde, the eight-year-old son of Thomas Slinde,
had his right foot badly mangled by a mower. The child was
walking in the field where the mower was being operated and got
in front of the sickle. The little fellow was bro't at once to
Home hospital where it was found necessary to amputate the foot
just in front of the heel bone. He is getting along nicely at
this writing.
[transcribed by S.F., June 2013]