Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1910-02-04
Judge Alfred Bruce

Judge Alfred Bruce
After a gallant struggle for his life.
Judge Alfred Brurn. or" of Elkos most
hiSh!y respected citiz ms, crossed over
fths river at quarter 70 10 o'clock
Friday night. All day yesterday the
battle RACED bstwe-l medical science
and the ravaye> vi pneumpn At
times, 1t seemed hs If science had won
the fight. but il Jha final onslaught the
disease was victor.
Judge Bruce WAS bDrn at Moodnrv.
Orange county. New York. Oh the 18th
of March, 1876 Part of his boyhood
days were speIt a, "A biaclSmith's
apprentice. Sixty-three years ago the
life of an apprentice in New York was
not an easy one. Everything about a
blacksmith shop had to be done by
hand. Here Judge Bruce learned the
trade thaC he followed in after life.
Whel about 23 years of age, he left
the Old home TO seek home and fortune
IN the then far west. and finally settled
at Haukton, South Dakota. Thirty
nine years ago on the 1th of last April,
he met Miss Arabella Jones of New
York, the love of his youth, Mt Sioux
City, Iowa, and married her He took
his bride back To Yankton and there
they lived until 1879. when Mr.. Bruce
came To Nevada. He reached Elko in
April Of that year, and went tn work at
! his trade. He afterward went into
| business for himself and remained here
until May 1894. when he moved to the
ranch a few miles east of town. After
several years at the ranch. ne returned
to town and this has since been his
| home.
Judge Bruce took an active interest
in political affairs and was an ardent
! republican. He served one term Us
county commissioner and made an ex-
celient record. In 1892 he was a can.
didate for the assembly on the republi-
can ticket. but was defeated. He was
aftcrward an unsuccessful candidate for
sheriff of this county. In 1906 he was
elected justice of the peace of this town
ship and reelected in 1908. In this
Office he won the unbOunded respect
and support of the law abiding people
of Elio. He enforced the law without
fear or favor
The wife of his youth. who shIred his
struggles and cheered him on when the
CloudS were thickest. lies on a bed of
pain, a sufferer from the disease that
sapped his strength and caused his
death. As she hovers on the brink.
may God in his infinite mercy comfort
and console her.
Besides the widow, three sons. Alfred.
George and Harry, and three daughters.
Mrs. J. w. Puett, and Misses Pearl and
Violet mourn the loss of loving, in.
dulgcnt fathcr. All of the children, ex-
ccpt George, were ut his bedside when
the end came Strenuous efforts have
been made the last twp or three days tu
Ct i'm communication with George, hut
at this writing nothing has been heard
from him. His home is at Lucky Boy,
brt he was summoned from there to
GJIifiald on jury and left there for
his home. Messages have been sent To
several places. but all have failed to
reach him
just week ago today Judge Bruce
acted rs pail bearer at Mr. Tabcr's
funeral He was not well then and his
family tricl to disslils him from
attending the funeral. He listened to
thcm patiently, but felt it his duty to
attend The exposure brought on
pneumonia. II might he truly said that
he sacrificed his life to the call of duty,
u duty that he owSd tn the lifelesS clay
of friend.
Judge Bruce lived in this county
nearly 81 years He was widely known
and highly respected as AN honorable
upright man. BY his death the state
loses one of its very best citizens. As
husband. father, citizen and official
he made an onviablc record This uu.
su'iinh record he leaves aS priceless
hei''"s" TO those who mourn When
the clouds hover mtn,t them tn, thick
cat. they should rcmuu,,,ar his ,nr,. nm.
sullicd life and take new courrv. T.,
them, we extend our heartfelt SYM
pathy.
Judge Bruce was an hplDrh1 number
of Elko Lodge No. lS / o o. f., and
for several years has been its secretary.
He was also ms nber of ElED Encimp
ment and Ivy Rcb5kah Lodge Ar.
rangemets for the funeral can not be
made until George Is heard from