Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-29
CORONER K4rE HoasER.

She Is Also the city Physician of Me-
braska Town, and Is Good Democrat.
Omaha world-Herald.
'Dr. Kate G. Horner'' is the in
scription o plain board nailed upon
the side of neat two-story frame
building in the little town of Fender.
Fender is in Thurston county, Neb.
The town is 40 miles from Sioux City,
Ia, lies across the railroad tr ok from
the Omaha reservation and is reached
by the Chicago. Minneapolis e. Omaha
Ire. Fender boasts l, 600 inhabitants.
When learned that DIR. Horner was
coroner of Thurston county, as well
as city physician of Fender, my in
terest and curiosity were aroused. A
woman coroner is not an every day oc-
currence, even in this period Of Office
holding.
When called at the doctor's office
on Sunday afternoon no one was in.
An easy chair and late magazine sug-
gestcd the gentle Bohemianism Of the
owner, however, and | made bold to
enter and make myself at home In
perhaps half an hour a young woman,
tastefully dressed in black, ran up the
stairs and entered the room. Her fig
ure was slight and girlish; her head
well poised carriage erect and grace
full; age-l did not ask. She looked %.
=" / am waiting for DR.. Horner, l
ventured as she entered the room.
=" am DIR. Horner What can / do
for your" was the reply. As had ex-
pected to see an older and palmer
woman, the announcement took me by
surprise. was visibly ratified, Z"
and she eyed me with pair of calm,
l.. IL, a 4
could not recover sufficiently to spring
any OF the old stereotyped speeches of
the interviewer. l was off my guard
and told the truth. " / don't know, y
| said, 81 saw your sign and when I
learned that you were the coroner l was
curious to see and talk with you. - |
really appreciated ii, and gave me the
information | desired.
Kate q. Horner's home is in Onawa,
la. Her education was that afforded by
the public schools of that place, in
which she has also taught. As a
young girl she worked in SMALL drug
store for thirteen months, and acquired
liking for the business. Deter
mined to master the science of the pro-
fession she devoted her attention to
the work until she was registered as
pharmacist at Des Moines in 1891.
The proprietor of the drug store in
which Miss Horner was employed was
also a physician and encouraged her TO
study Medicine. She had read with
him and at his suggestion entered the
College of medicine at Sioux City,
from which she graduated in 1898.
For year she practiced in Blencoe,
Ia. and then moved to Fender, begin.
ming her work there April /, 1894.
Asked how she became coroner she
said:
1.-THE Democrats asked me to run for
the place to which | was elected last
fall. | told the committee that was
willing to run il | could get there, but
| did not porpose to be sacrificed dur
ing the campaign. They assured me
that ] should be elected and | CON
sented to make the canvass. The Pop
ulists also endorsed me. Then the man
whom the Republicans had nominated
Withdrew and | was elected. That is
all there is of that / was appointed
city physician by the. town board this
spring.
DR.. Homer can tell many interesting
stories OF her experiences. She re-
spends to all calls and does all sorts of
medical work. Among the settlers on
the reservation she has large number
of patients, while the women of Fender
employ her oftener than they do the
men. Her share of the practice in
Thurston county is considerably more
than half.