Barbour County index., 1910-03-23
JAMES r. HOLMES KILLED
Fell From Wagon one Mile West
of Hardtner and Wheel Pas
sed Over his Head, Crush
ing the Skull.


measure last Wednesday afternoon
when the news was flashed over
the wires telling of the sudden
death of James R. Holmes, the
wealthy and widely known ranch
man of Aetna.
Mr.. Holmes met his death one
mile west of Hardtner. He had
purchased a wind mill and other
machinery and supplies in Kiowa
in the forenoon. He drove a span
ofyoung and spirited mules and his
wagon was heavily loaded. There
was DO eye fitness to the accident
but the conditions surrounding the
body when found leave only one
solution and that is that in going
down small incline Mr.. Holmes
who was sitting on the. spring seat
OF the wagon, the wagon having
sideboards on, reached to put
on the brake and as it was quite a
long reach, he lost his balance and
fell. One side of the skull was
crushed, indicating that the wheel
of the wagon had passed over it.
Geo. B. Mote found Mr.. Holiness
body. He was going to Hardtner
and met the team a short distance
west of the scene of the accident
and tied it and continued toward
Hardtner to find the owner. When
ne came to the body, which was in
a small ravine, he did not recog-
nize it, although he and Mr..
Holmes had been close neighbors
and friends for more than twenty
years. The face was covered with
clotted blood and the head horri.
bly, crushed. Mr.. Mote went to
the nearest residence and got two
men and together they went back
TO the gruesome scene and identi-
fed the body as that of Mr..
Holmes.
The news was at once telephon-
ed to this city and County Attorney
Field, DR.. ]. H. Donovan, ]. P.
Hall and Zeal Johnson hurried to
Hardtner in Mr.. Johnson's car. In
the meantime the body had been
taken to Hardtner. Upon arrival
at Hardtner, after learning the
facts, the county attorney decided
that the cause of death was so ap,
parent that no inquest was neces.
sary and the body was placed in
the automobile and taken to In.
dertaker Laughman at Kiowa
where it was embalmed and
brought to this city on Thursday
morning.
The funeral was held at the home
of ]. S. Runyan at 10 o'clock a. m.
Saturday, conducted by Rev. C. /.
Spiers, pastor of the Baptist
church, and the remains inferred
in Highland cemetery. The fun
eral was very largely attended.
A large delegation of Odd Fell
ows from Kiowa, as we'll as other
friends from that city,attended the
funeral. Mr.. Holmes was mem
Der of the Kiowa |. o. o. F., and
The members from both Kiowa and
Medicine Lodge attended in a body
and held the ritualistic service.
The floral offerings were exceed
|ngly nice and imposing.
James R. Holmes was born at
Natural Bridge, Virginia, Novem-
per 2, I847; died at Hardtner, Kan
as, March 10, 1910, aged 62 years,
months, ID days. He came to
Barber county in advance of much
ettlement and secured a ranch at
aetna. He had been adding to the
rea of his ranch until now it con-
aims something over $4,000 acres.
lie had been one of the large stock
1en of Kansas and Oklahoma for
he pasr twenty-five years and was
ne of the most wealthy men in
his part of the country. A very
onservative estimate of his estate
laces its at $4,000 but if land
slues continue to increase as they
ave been increasing in the past
70 wears, it will not be long un.
MS land alone Will De worth
ore than that amount.
Mr.. Holmes was an unmarried
an, but he is survived by five
sters and two brothers-Mes-
lmes Hall, Runyan and Wall of
is city; Mrs. Donovan of Oklaho,
a City, Mrs. Caldwell of War
nsbnrg, Mo. John Holmes of Ok,
homa, and Robt. H. Holmes
lo has been in the hospital in
ichita for the past three months.
/ Of the brothers and sisters
tended the funeral.
The deceased was a shrewd man
business and always full of en-
W He will be greatly missed