Iowa Old Press

Taylor County Republican
Bedford, Taylor co. Iowa
October 24, 1878

Sudden and Fearful Death.
On last Thursday morning about ten o'clock, a melancholy accident occurred at the residence of Mr. I.W. Abbott, in Dallas township, resulting in the sudden and fearful death of Katie McRoberts, aged about twelve years, a daughter of Mr. George M. McRoberts, who resides in that township. Mr. McRoberts was making molasses at Mr. Abbott's cane mill, and was himslef engaged in attending the boiler, while his little daughter was employed in feeding the mill. By some means unknown the child's left thumb was caught in the cogs of the mill and she was irresistibly drawn into the machinery. Her screams were heard by her father and Mr. Abbott, both of whom were at the boiler. They ran to her assistance, but it was too late. The powerful machinery had drawn her in, crushing the bones in her hand and arm and stripping the flesh from her body until the heart and other vital organs were plainly visible. The mill was reversed and the mangled remains were tenderly removed, by which time the little sufferer expired. She was a bright, intelligent and interesting little girl and her sudden and horrible death leaves her afflicted parents well nigh distracted. Her funeral took place at Dallas Center on Friday at three o'clock in the afternoon. the funeral sermon was delivered by Rev. J.H. Everly.

The Union of Mr. Lafe Combs and Miss Addie Wilson
On last Sunday evening, Mr. Lafe Combs, our worthy postmaster, left the city, ostensibly to visit Chicago, to purchase goods. ON Monday evening he turned up at Kirksville, Missouri, under circumstances which warrant the following announcement:

The ceremony took place on Monday evening, in the parlors of the Griffith House, at Kirksville, where the bride has been attending school for some time past, and was paerformed by the Rev. J.M. Greene, pastor of the M.E. Church in that city, in the presence of a few friends of the contracting parties. On Tuesday evening the happy couple arrived in this city, on the evening mail train, and were received by a number of friends and relatives who were congragated at the depot. Carriages were taken and the bridal party were conveyed to the residence of Mr. J.W. Combs, one mile and a half east of Bedford, where every preparation had been made in anticipation of their arrival. Here the newly wedded pair received their friends, a host of whom had assembled for the purpose of offering their congratulations and good wishes.

Among those present we observed Mr. and Mrs. Charles Steele, Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Evans, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McCracken, Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Evans, Dr. and Mrs. M.C. Connett, Mr. and Mrs. S. Lucas, Mr. and Mrs. John Wyckoff, Miss Iowa McCracken, Messrs. S.C. Burlingim, Charles B. Dunning, B.E. Wilkins, John Fitzgerald and many others.

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The glass ball match did not take place on Monday, according to programme this week. The champion, Mr. W.F. Walker, was on hand and called time when the appointed hour arrived but no competitors put in an appearance.

J.M. Thirkield received a telegram from his brother in Zanesville, Ohio, this week as follows: "I send you to-day ninety thousand dollars, all I can raise." Mr. Thirkield strongly suspects that it is "fiat" money, but is nevertheless open to conviction to the contrary.

On Monday morning a boy named John Smith, who was sent here during the summer by the children's Aid Society of New York, met with an accident at the depot which might have proved serious. His account of the affair is that he and another boy, whose name we did not learn, went to the depot to take the express train for Maryville, to follow the Nellie Boyd combination. They both got on the front platform as the train started, when his companion changed his mind and tried to dussuade John from going. They got into a scuffle over the matter, when he fell or was thrown from the moving train. The engineer saw the fall and instantly stopped the train. John was considerably bruised about the head and limbs, and was taken to the Bedford House where Dr. Connett attended to his injuries. He is recovering rapidly.

Married. On Tuesday, the 22d inst., at the residence of Mrs. Brickey, near Conway, Mr. Joseph Doubet and Miss Elizabeth Brickey, Rev. W.M. Welch officiating.

J.R. Derrickson received a monster pelican this week, which was shot on the Nodaway river and brought to Bedford by Mr. Bell. Mr. Derrickson has set the bird up on wires, and stuffed him with hay, and he looks as large as life, and twice as natural. Go around and see him. He - the bird, we mean - measures nine feet and a half frm tip to tip.

Merrill Lindsey, a boy aged about eight years, and a son of Mr. Josiah Lindsey, disappeared from his parents' residence last Saturday morning before breakfast and has not since been heard from . There are two explanations regarding his absence, one that he has gone to visit his uncle who lives about ten miles in the country, and the other that he took the train to Creston.

A son of Squire James M. Cook, of Dallas township, had his hand caught in a cane mill last Friday. He made a fortunate escape by his mitten pulling off, or it might have been our sad duty to chronicle another fatal accident similar to that described elsewhere in this issue, by which little Katie McRoberts lost her life.

Local Brevities.
-Mr. S.R. Jamison, of Dallas, made us a pleasant visit on Monday.
-Black frost in the South renders the early abatement of the yellow fever probable.
-Mr. I.W. Abbott, of Dallas township, has made seventeen hundred gallons of molasses this season.
-Mr. J.M. Windsor is still lying quite il although at this writing his condition is slightly improving.
-Mr. Thomas Potter returned yesterday from his visit to Davenport, where he had been attending the annual session of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows. After leaving Davenport he made a brief visit to Tazwell county, Illinois, and thence returned home.
-Mr. John Graff returned home on Friday evening from Davenport where he had been in attendance upon the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows.
-Mr. J.L. Evans, formerly of this city, but now resideing near Hopkins, paid the Republican office a pleasant visit on Saturday last.
-P.J. Wisdom, the popular postmaster and merchant of Mormontown, looked in upon us last Saturdayand found us glad to see him. Come again.
-Mr. E.D. Jones, better known as "Zeke", has sold his farm in Ross township, to Mr. H.C. Baird, whereupon Joe Parke feels moved to lamentation because his party has lost its Shepherd.

[transcribed by S.F., October 2009]

Iowa Old Press
Taylor County