Note from Clyde Williams

Young Man wrote, “I’m leaving in a Hurry, ” Just Before Death

I am leaving in a hurry. That is a joke.—-Clyde Williams.

This was the strangely coincidental note on a postal card which came to a Norfolk friend yesterday from Clyde Williams, the Norfolk young man who was killed under a train at Cheyenne, Wyo., and who wrote this postal and mailed it evidently only a short time before he was run over. Another note was received by the dead boy.s mother. This note was written after he had been hurt, and while he was being taken to a hospital. He succumbed enroute to the hospital and, it is said, begged those about him to end his suffering by taking his life. The remains arrived last night for burial tomorrow afternoon. Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Sat. August 25, 1906, page 8

How Clyde Williams Died

First Information Giving Details, is Brought Here.

Fell From Top of a Box Car.

Walking Along the Top of the Train, From Caboose to Engine, a Sudden Sharp Curve Made Him Lose Balance—H. L. Doughty Investigated.

Accurate and definite details of the death of Clyde Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Williams of Norfolk, who was killed under a train near Cheyenne some days ago, were brought to the parents here today for the first time by H. L. Doughty, deputy for the Highland Noble order, who has just returned from Cheyenne, where he went for the purpose of investigating the death in connection with insurance held by the deceased in his company.

Clyde was in the employ of the Union Pacific railroad company at the time of his death, as he had been for some time previous. He, with two companions, left Cheyenne on a night freight train bound for Laramie, as they were due to go to work at Laramie the next morning. They started out by riding in the caboose. Clyde was acquainted with the fireman in the engine which drew the train and , and shortly after leaving Cheyenne, he started to walk from the caboose to the engine, over the tops of the cars, in order to ride with the fireman.

Thrown Off at a Sharp Curve

There is a very sharp curve in the track about two miles west of Cheyenne and it was at this point that the young man, losing his balance when the train swerved suddenly, fell down between two cars and was run over by the wheels. The lower part of his abdomen was cut wide open and his left leg was crushed. The accident occurred at about 2 o’clock in the morning and he lived until 6:15, when he died in a Cheyenne hospital.

He was immediately taken back to Cheyenne and, while in the baggage room, wrote a note to his mother and father, telling them of his approaching death. This note was handed by the dying boy to the baggage men but the latter failed to mail it as he had promised and the message only reached the Norfolk home a few days ago.

$65 in Money is Missing

Clyde told the physician who attended him that he had $65 in his sock, but no trace of the money has been found. Railroad men at Cheyenne say that the curve which threw Clyde from the train, will kill any man who is not well acquainted with the route.

Clyde’s companions and the railroad men under whom he worked all vouch for him as an industrious, sober, ambitious young man living a clean life, and the death was a severe shock to those who knew him.  Facts regarding the death were difficult to get from the railroad company and the information was only obtained by Mr. Doughty after hard work. Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Sat. September 8, 1906, page 8.

Mrs. Conrad Werner died Feb. 20. She lived in Madison county for 27 years having come here with her husband from Philadelphia. She was 63 years old. She leaves an aged husband, five sons and two daughters. The oldest daughter, Mrs. Fred Eyl, died several years ago. Source: The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Friday Feb. 24, 1905 on page 7.

Madison County Pioneer Resident Dies Here Friday

Funeral services for Louis Weinberger, 84, Madison county pioneer, who passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. August Besk, Friday, Dec. 12th, were held from St. Leonard’s church with burial made in the family lot in Crownhill Cemetery. He was born June 22, 1845 in Germany. He was united in marriage to Catherine Wanek at Madison, Wisconsin and came to Madison county, Nebraska in 1870 and took up a homestead in Green Garden precinct.   Excerpts from Madison Star-Mail, Thursday, December 18, 1930 on page 1.

Refrigerator Fell on Him

Theodore Warnsted may die as the result of falling from a wagon with a heavy refrigerator on top of him, breaking his collar bone, in the alley in the rear of the Friday hardware store, this morning. Warnsted, who is a tinner in the employ of the Friday store, was hauling away a refrigerator when the horse was suddenly frightened and man and the refrigerator were jerked from the wagon to the ground. The heavy refrigerator lit on top of the man. Besides having his collar bone broken Warnsted sustained severe bruises over the ribs and internal injuries are feared. Warnsted was removed to his home at 418 South Third street, where he lies in a critical condition. Source: The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Friday, March 18, 1910, page 5.

TINNER FALLS, BACK BROKEN

Theodore Warnstedt Steps Backward off a Roof

Dies as Result of Injuries

With Spine, Four Ribs and Skull Fractured, a Norfolk Tinner

in John Friday’s Employ, Lives Only Over Night

Theodore C. A. Warnstedt, 418 South Third street, a tinner employed at John Friday’s hardware store, was fatally injured at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon as the result of stepping backward from the roof of Mrs. Fred Schelly’s residence, 109 North Seventh street. He died this morning at 7:30.

The man’s back was broken and four ribs and his skull were fractured. Warnstedt was putting on new guttering around the roof of the two-story house at the time. His statement regarding the accident was made to Mr. and Mrs. John Friday. “I made a misstep and fell off,” he said. No one saw the accident, although about five men were working around the place at the time. His body was terribly mangled and the lower part of the trunk from the waist down was paralyzed. John Schelly, proprietor of the Schelly Bottling works, discovered the injured man and he was the first to call a physician. Warnstedt suffered much pain. He leaves a wife and four children, the oldest being a boy 16 years of age.

Nails in His Body

Four ribs were broken, many of them were torn loose and the spine was fractured. The lower part of the body was instantly paralyzed. The man.s body was full of nails caused by his falling on shingles which were previously torn from the roof that was being reshingled. Warnstedt fell in a sitting position, which was the cause of his spine breaking so badly. Warnstedt was putting on a new guttering on the Schelly house and by his side was working Ed Schelly, who believed Warnstedt had just walked around the roof of the house. Schelly’s first intimation that anything had happened came to him by the cries of his older brother John Schelly, who a few moments after Warnstedt.s fall came up to the house. He saw Warnstedt sitting among the old shingles and inquired what was wrong. Warnstedt could not speak and Schelly, thinking only a minor accident had occurred, telephoned for Dr. Verges, who took Warnstedt’s symptoms to be a fractured skull. On closer examination he found several ribs broken and in assisting Warnstedt to his feet discovered the spine was also broken. He said that Warnstedt would live but about six hours.

Dr. Tashjean, city physician, also examined the injuries and declared there was little hope for his recovery. He recommended that the injured man be moved to this home at once. Mrs. Friday preceded the ambulance to the home. She was met by Mrs. Warnstedt, who is a very small and frail woman. “I knew you would come,” she said. “The doctor telephoned to me that my husband was hurt. Are his injuries serious?” Mrs. Friday assured Mrs. Warnstedt that there might be hope, but her appeals to the little woman to be brave were hardly spoken when the ambulance arrived. One glance at her husband, and Mrs. Warnstedt was overcome by mental grief. She did not faint but remained silent for nearly an hour and the ghastly color in her face showed the terrible mental agony she was undergoing.

Is Told He Cannot Live

Not long after his removal to his home Warnstedt requested that Mayor Friday should be sent for. The mayor came and the injured man, speaking in much pain, told his employer where certain tools could be found, and that everything was in its proper place. Warnstedt asked Dr. Verges, during the physician’s visit at the home, whether or not he would live. “Only a few hours, Teddy; you are badly injured,” the doctor said. The injured man did not seem to mind this bad news and requested that his children, who were away visiting, should be sent for.

Warnstedt carried no life insurance, He has been employed as a tinner by Mayor Friday for some years. Last year a heavy ice box fell on him and he was laid up for several months. He complained of heart trouble to many of his friends and on one occasion, when in company with Mail Carrier Boehnke, he was attacked by this trouble.

Mr. Warnstedt was born in Germany on May 19, forty-seven years ago. No funeral arrangements have yet been made, but his sister living at Millard, Neb., near Omaha, arrived in the city with the Warnstedt children at noon. She will attend to the funeral arrangements. Warnstedt is a member of the St. Johannes Lutheran church.          Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Tuesday, July 18, 1911, page 5.

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Although the funeral arrangements over the remains of Theodore Warnstedt, who lost his life as the result of falling from the residence of Mrs. F. Schelly on North Ninth street are not complete, the services will be held in all probability at 2:30 Thursday afternoon from the family home and at 3 o’clock from the St Johannes Lutheran church. Warnstedt’s sister, living at Millard, Neb., arrived yesterday in company with the two Warnstedt children. Friends of Warnstedt were out among the business men Wednesday with a subscription list which was liberally signed. This money will go toward the defraying of the funeral expenses, the family being in poor circumstances. Mrs. Warnstedt is now reported ill. Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Wednesday, July 19, 1911, page 5.

Funeral services over the remains of Theodore Warnestedt, the tinner who met death in a fall from the two-story Schelly residence, took place Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the family home and at 2:30 from the St. Johannes church. Rev. Mr. Bergfelder had charge of the services. Interment was made in the new Lutheran cemetery.    Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Thursday, July 20, 1911, page 5.

Card of Thanks

To our friends, neighbors, the Ladies Aid society who were so kind in their sympathy and kindness, and to those who brought the beautiful floral offerings, we take this means of extending our most heartfelt thanks. Mrs. Theodore Warnstedt and Family.               Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Friday, July 21, 1911, page 6.