Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-20
FIRE FINDS BULLET
Leaden Missile Discovered After
twenty-five Years.
WAS EMBEDDED IN PHYSICIANS BODY
A Queer story-lowa Senator's Ad.
dress Influenced Decision for Free
Speech in ;Virsinia-HulI Wants
Changes Mac. :, the Army.
Washington Bureau the Courier.
Washington. Feb. 10.

Washington Bureau the Courier.
Washington, Feb. 10.
Information is received from Iowa to
the effect that the remains of DR.. R.
B. Crimes. the Cheyenne physician,
who died in Washington the latter part
OF January, were cremated and the ash
es placed in a sealed urn and delivered
to the widow of the deceased, who, it
is understood, resides in Iowa at the
present time.
Lost Bullet Found.
1t is well known that after crema-
ton there is very little left of the
body, but in the case of Dr.. Grimes
the ashes were noticed to be excep-
tionally heavy. Investigation re-
vealed the fact that there was a small
quantity of lead mingled with the
ashes, and then it developed that this
metal was nothing more nor less than
the bullet the doctor had carried about
in his body for many years. The bull
let was of course melted in the process
of cremation, but the weight was all
there save in another form; in fact the
lead greatly outweighed the ashes of
the body.
All Interesting SIOTys
There is an interesting story in con-
nection with that bullet, which DR..
Grimes, or Fighting Bob, the Doctor
as he was commonly called, carried
about his body for nearly quarter of
century. 1t appears DR.. Grimes was
chief surgeon under the famous Thorn
burg at the time of the Meeker mas
sacre in the early SOS. The story of
the surrounding of the expedition
to the relief of the Meekers, by a
band of hostile Indians; the terrific
battle that ensued, death of Thornburg
and many officers and men, is well
known. 1t was upon the third day
OF the seige. The Indians We're draw
ing their fighting circle closer and
closer behind the boys in blue. The
redskins had been doing fearful exc
cution with their Winchester rifles
and officers and men were falling upon
every hand. Dr. Grimes had been
through the war of the rebellion and
had seen service on the frontier with
Indians. He was a crack shot with
rifle or pistol and many redskin
reeled from his horse when DrsGrimes
pulled the trigger. In this fight, how
ever. he had no time for shooting,
his time being entirely taken up in
looking after the wounded. 1t seems
that he was standing in the rifle pits
which had been dug just inside the
!. line of the wagons, when private
on his right fell mortally wounded. DR..
/, Grimes instantly stopped over to eX-
anime the wound and as he did SO he
received bullet in his left shoulder
Had he been standing upright the bone
would have been shattered and the
fighting DOCTOR done for, but for
tunately the bullet ranged downward
and lodged in his back.
Bullet Not Located.
DR.. Grimes opened his shirt and
made hasty examination of the
wound and then carried his. wounded
companion to the hospital wagon. He
gave no more attention to his own
wounds until three days afterward
when the relief expedition arrived DR..
Grimes was then taken to the hospital
where he lowered for weeks between
life and death. Efforts were made to
locate the bullet, but without success
and as the bullet gave him no annoy
ance no further efforts were ever made
to locate or remove it.
Delivers Influence.
1t is doubtful if, in latter years, at
beast, speech has been delivered so
potent and far-reaching in influence
and effect, as the address of Senator
Dolliver at meeting held under the
auspices of the city of Chicago, at the
Coliseum, Sept. %, 1901, two weeks af-
ter the shooting of President McKin-
! ley.
The speech was copied and quoted
from one end of the country to the
other; taken as the theme of sermons
and editorials, and discussed by citi-
zens and officials, but it may come as
matter of surprise to many Iowa peo-
pie to know that that speech was the
deciding factor in preventing the elm.
nation of the right of free speech from
the constitution of Virginia. A con
vention representing every section of
the commonwealth Of the "Old Domin-
ion" was in session at Richmond, at
the time Senator Dolliver delivered his
speech. The death of the President
the result of pistol shot directed by
man inspired to do the miserable
work by the words of woman,
taken in connection with other mat,
tiers along the same line had served
I MsA Y0llR