The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-09-06
W R. CHEEVER DEAD.
Well Known Kenosha Physician
Dies as a Result Of Being
Overcome by Gas
BRILLIANT CAREER ENDED
Mrs. Cheever and DR.. Homer Cheever
Also Overcome by Fumes but Both
Will Recover-Accident Shocks
Entire Community
(Fron1 Thursdays Daily.)

Inc enT1re city Was SnOCkeQ this
morning by the announcement of the
death Of DR.. William r. Cheever, one
of the best known young physicians
Of the city. NDr. Cheever died at his
home on Exchange street just after Z
O'Clock as a result Of being overcome
by Illuminating gas. His wife and
brother, DR.. sHomer Cheever, were
also overcome by the fumes Of the gas.
DR.. Homer Cheever has entirely re-
covered andfAMrs. Cheever showed
great Improvement at noon and it is
thought that she will survive.
The sad accident caused a profound
sensation in the city, and the an
nouncement of the death of DIR.
Cheever fell like a pail ever all cir
c1es Of thescity.
The details Of the accident we're as
follows: Dir. Cheever and his wife
were sleeping in the front room Of the
house and had left the door communi-
eating with the down stairs rooms
open in order thatathey might be able
to hear the ringing sof the telephone.
Late last night gas heater used for
heating water for thes bath room had
been IN use and it is supposed that
the guide tap to the heater had been
left turned on. The 1house rapidly
filled with gas land overcome the
sleeping members Of the household.
Just after O'Clock this morning
DR.. G. H.EsRipley had called DR..
Cheever on the phone to secure his
aid in some professional services and
| the doctor had evidently heard the
phone and bad attempted to get out
of bed to answersthe call. AS he left
his bed he,sfe1l to thee floor and his
head was at oncegin the lower stratum
of deadly ,gas. Mrs. Cheever, who
was on the other side Eof the bed,
must havelbeen unconscious at the
time. The ringing Of the phone
finally awakened DR.. Homer Cheever,
who was sleeping in one of the rear
rooms of theghouse, and he awoke to
find that he was dizzy on account of
the gas. He managed to crawl to the
door Of his room, and opening it, the
draft revivedsahim .and he hurried to
the other parts Of the house. As he.
entered the room occupied by DIR. and
Mrs. Cheever he noticed the body of
his brother on the floor. Mrs. Cheever
was unconscious. AS soon as possible
he threw open the windows Of the
house and summonedsDr. Van West
reinen by phone. This was just be-
fore s O'Clock and in a very short
time number of the members of the
profession had hurried to the house.
DIR. Cheever was dead when the doc
tors arrived, ebut every possible eff
fort was made to bring back the spark
of life. In the meantime other ply
sicians had turned their attention to
Mrs. Cheever and after an hours
work she began to show signs of re-
turning consciousness.
The remains Of the dead doctor
were removed to another room in or
der that the widow might not awake
to find that her husband was dead,
and the doctors continued their work
of reviving. Mrs. Cheever. Three
hours later it was reported that she
was out Of danger. Many people re-
siding in the neighborlood hurried to
the house and aided in the work of
resuscitation.
DR.. William Rockwell Cheever was
80 years Of age. He was son Of the
late Hurlbert B. Cheeyer and was
born ia the town Of Benton, in Lake
county, ILL.,. ia March, 1868. He was
educated in the schools Of his home
town andllater entered the academy at
Lake Forest, where he spent three
years. On completing his course at
the academy he entered the College Of
| Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago,
from which he was graduated with
| high honors. He came to Kenosha in
December of 1896, and since that time
he had been practicing in the city.
He had won an enviable place in the
profession in Kenosha and his death
has come as a terrible blow to the
other physicians of the city.
AS physician he had no superior
4 III KACuOSK-d duu his WOIh udu IudQG
him universally beloved in many
homes in the city. DIR. Cheever was
a member of many societies in the
city. He was Past Worshipful Master
Of the Kenosha Lodge Of Masons and
had always been an active worker in
the lodge circles. He was member
of the Modern Woodmen of America,
Of the Knights of Pythias and other
societies.
The deceased is survived by his
widow, by his aged mother Mrs. Mary
Cheever of Benton, and by DR.. Homer
Cheever Of Kenosha, and G. II. Chez
yer of Waukeg an, brothers; and a
sister, Mrs. T.. d. Jones, Of Buchanan,
Mich.
/ Mary Haines, the Waukegan girl
for whom the police of Kenosha had
q - So 81. - - 4 -