The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-13
COURTER'S WISH
GRANTED IN DEATH
Falls Dead at Missouri Pacific
Depot.
JUST BOARDING A TRAIN
He Was a Prosperous Wichita
Business Man.

B. F. Courier of the Courier Produce
company. when in the act OF boarding
Missouri Pacific train, fell dead on the
depot platform Sunday morning The
funeral will take place from the Chris
tan Science church at o'clock. this at
ternoon.
The immediate cause of his death was
heart failure. Mr.. Courier was an in
dustriOus business man and il can be
said that he died in the harness and in
that his wish was fulfilled. He had told
his friends that when the end came for
him he did not want any lingering sick
ness but wanted 10 be struck down in
stantly. II the grim messenger. death
had been acting on the wish of Mr.. Cour-
ter. he could not have done his work
more effectUally. 1t was a rush for bust
ness and the next instant he was stin in
death
Mr. Courier has been i'll for some
work on his new building that he wanted
to get it finished. for his physician had
informed him that he had heart disease
and that he was liable any day TO fall
dead on the street.
Mr.. Courier had branch house at Enid
o. T., and one al Argonia. He was
about TO make change in the Argonia
house and was going to put young
-Ean in charge. A. L. Wright of this
city. They were going down TO Argonia
CT Sunday to be ready to check up the
business on Monday The Missouri Pa
cifc train was behind time and the two
men sat down in Mr.. CouIter's office
across the street from the Missouri Pa
cific depot to wait for the train. They
talked longer than they thought and
found that the train was ABOUT ready TO
start out
The two men walked rapidly across the
street and when in about sixty feet of
the car Mr. Courier. who was in the rear.
ran TO the car. He took hold of the iron
railing and when about TO step on the
car he fell back on the depot platform.
Several people ran TO his assistance but
when they raised him up he was found
to be dead
Benjamin Franklin Courier was born In
Warnervill in the state of New York. No
vember "a. A. D., 1886. and il he had
lived 10 his next birthday would have
been sixty-seven years of age He moved
from New York TO the state of Michi-
gan and there was very successful in
business but finally failed and came to
Wichita in 1888
After comingS here he first engaged In
the coal business but two years later es-
toll Cd
las avenue where he was at the time Of
his death. He moved several times from
one house to another in that immediate
vicinity and last spring commenced to
build a house for himself on the south
side of Douglas avenue near the bridge.
He occupied an old frame building where
the new brick building of Schwartz
Brothers now stands and ne was com
PEELED to move into his own building be-
fore it was finished because the old build
ing had to be removed to make room for
the new Schwartz building
Mr. Courters new building would have
been finished before winter and he was
rushing the work. 1t is two stories high
with basement and IS probably one Of the
best houses In the west for the poultry
business. having been built especially for
that purpose Mr. Courier leaves a wife
and one daughter, Miss Matte Courier.
of this city Mr.. Courier used to tell
his friends that he was going 10 build a
good business house and perhaps he
would get some comfort out Of it and then
he wanted to have it so as that # would
rent for a good sum and make an in
come for his daughter
Miss Matte Courier IS an expert IN
the millinery business ana during the
past year has had charge of millinery
store at Haysville The family have rooms
in the Fletcher building on North Main
street. The mother and daughter were
terribly shocked by the sudden death q
the husband and father bat Miss Matte
said that was the way her father wanted
TO die He had often told her that when
HIS time came he wanted 70 just drop
dead and have II over with.
Mr. Courier has made a good deal %
money since coming 10 this city lie was
"A hard worker and honest IN all his
business Transactions. r J. Schwartz
said Yesterday that many times ne had
seen Nj Courier working very late ~
night over his books and writing check.
He always urided himself that when any
BODY shipped goods 70 him they would
get their money the very next day Mtr-
chants from surrounding towns would
ship him poultry. eggs and butter and
he would work late ~ night 80 as %
send them their money the next u1crnlng.