The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-02-28
TRAGIC FAMILY RECORD
TEMPEsTuoUs CAREER OF THE
BoCHE FAMILY.
PIONEERS IN MADISON COUNTY

Many a Dramatic story Appears In
the Lives Of William Boche, Sr., and
His Family Down on the Elkhorn
River-Tragedy Always.
The tragic drowning of William Bo-
che In the Elkhorn recalls the peculiar
death of his mother more than a dozen
years ago. Mrs. William Boche, sr.,
died as the result of having swallowed
fish bone. The Boche families have
always been great fishers and trap
pers and fish have been constantly on
their tables for two score years. A
fish bone lodged in Mrs. Boche's throat.
She would not have a physician but
members of her family tried to relieve
her. Infection is said to have set In,
death resulting.
Mr. and Mrs. William Boche, ST.,
were pioneer settlers in Madison coun-
ty. William Boche, ST., was sixty
six" man, one of the Madison county
farmers who came here from Wiscon-
sin and one Of the founders of st.
Paul Ev. Lutheran church, Norfolk's
pioneer church. The Boches were of
coast fishing people. They came
from the north German coast. So
William Boche took his homestead on
the Elkhorn in a region where trap
ping and fishing were afforded him
and his sons for two score years.
Many a dramatic story is held in the
lives of William Boche, ST., and his
family down on the Elkhorn river,
some three miles southeast of Nor
folk. William Boche, ST., is now dead.
He died a year ago, to the last a man
with no faith in banks, for when he
died he left several hundred dollars
in gold hidden on his farm. On his
death-bed he tried to tell where the
gold was hidden.
William Boche, ST., left two sons,
William Boche, who was drowned this
week, and Herman Boche, who will be
tried next week at Madison for shoot
ing Frank farmer.
The killing of George Ives nineteen
years ago was dramatic incident in
the lives of both William and Herman
Boche. William Boche and Ives were
quarreling when Herman felled Ives
with an ak.
Then last spring came the murder
of Frank farmer which again brought
the Boche family into the limelight.
William Boche was drowned in a
river that he had lived beside for more
than forty years. He was drowned
just as he was making preparations to
leave the vicinity where he had spent
pretty nearly every day of his life
since boyhood. And he was drowned
on the eve of the trial of his brother
for murder.
Close by the fertile farms of Will
liam and Herman Boche is the out
door camp of Fred Boche, their cousin
Madison county's giant and probably
the biggest man in Nebraska. Fol
eight years he has slept in a tent
scorning the comforts of house even
! in the winter.
Drowning Was Accidental.
Additional circumstances W h /
come to light all tend to confirm the
original theory that the drowning o.
William Boche in the Elkhorn las
Wednesday was wholly accidental
Stories of suicide, while still abroad
are credited by but few Of those ac
quainted with the facts. Boche seemed
to have been pleased over his pros
: pective removal to Knox county, moth
, ing unusual had been noted in his &C
tions, his tracks are said to show tina
he walked up and down the river banl
: looking for a safe place to cross, tina
e he avoided several open places ant
: came back to cross in a place wher'
q thin snow ice appeared safe when /
I was really but a thin coating over
d deep hole in the river. He was warm
: ly clad preparatory to his trip to MOI
u folk
/ Short funeral services for the lat
William Boche will be held at the Be
e che home at o'clock Sunday after
J. noon. The remains will be taken fror
a the home to Christ Lutheran churc
e in Norfolk where Rev. J. P. Muelle
: will conduct regular services. TIL
q interment will be in the new Luthera
u cemetery.
u William Boche was religious ma
q and a member of the congregation c
l. Christ Lutheran church.