Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1915-03-18
Death Claims
E. {. Pitcher

NO greater shock has been given
the people of this community in a
long time than the word Saturday
night which quickly travelled from
mouth to mouth that Edward E.
Pitcher. formerly postmaster at
| Omio postoifice. had dropped dead
without warning at the Weles.
Thompson coal sheds where he had
been loading some coal
Mr.. Pitcher had been in town the
greater part of the afternoon, had
done some shopping ana had gone to
the lumber yard for coal. There he
met S. S. Yeager and visited with
him for some lime. Undoubtedly
the lateness of the hour caused him
TO hurry his work of loading the
coal ard the little extra exertion
proved to be too much for his heart
action. X. C. billy, drayman for
the Gabbert Dray Line, had driven
in the yards shortly after o'clock
and. in searching tor one of the
yard men, discovered Mr.. Pitcher
stretched flat upon his back, his
shovel fallen near him. billy at
once notified the people in the office
who went to the scene. There
could he no doubt about his being
dead and the coroner was sum-
moned. also physician. The body
was then removed to the undertake
ing parlors of Smith & Irvine where
an inquest was held in the evening
1t is quite probable that death over.
took him as he threw a shovel of
coal into his wagon.
For months Mr.. Pitcher knew
that all was not we'll with him. He
had suffered with sharp pain just
to the right of the center of the
chest. Being on the opposite side
from his heart he had paid little at
tention to it. Some time ago he
sought medical attention for it was
becoming hard for him to exert him
self, only slight exertion being fol-
lowed by loss of breath. He had
never told his family of any danger.
GUS discovery by the physicians, but
ne had given his wife full instruc-
lions as to what to do in case of just
what happened to him.
Edward Eastman Pitcher was born
in Morris, Grundy county, Ill.,, No
vamber %. 1866. and was therefore
few months more than forty-eight
years of age. In 1872, when but
SIX years old, he moved with his
parents to Iowa. In 1894 he located
in Walworth county. S. D., and
came to his Emmons county home in
1901. While living near Selby, Wal
worth county. he met and married
Anne Drayton on October Id. 1899.
Two children were horn to them,
Edith, aged ID, and Arlo. aged IL,
who are left fatherless by this sud-
den stroke. In addition to the sor-
rowing wife and children he leaves
a brother and sister to mourn his
loss, Frank Pitcher of Rossmore,
Onotario, and Mrs. Meadows, of
Mott, thia state. The brother was
unable to come to Linton for the
funeral, but Mrs. Meddows', daugh-
ters arrived Tuesday.
The funeral was held Yesterday at
2 p. m. at the Linton M. e. church
and interment in Linton cemetery.
deceased was an active worker in
| the M. e. church at the time of his
death, having become affiliated with
| the OmiD N e. church in 1910. The
afternoon of his death he had been
asked to buy little wicker basket
and had purchased the same, stating
that although he had no use for it
the Ladies' Ali could probably make
good use of it.
i Rev. Otto G. Ponath preached the
funeral sermon and Messrs. j. n.
Jennings. Chas. Lipps. l.. 7. Briggs,
H. A. Thoreson. j. |. Wells and
Chas. Green acted as pall-besrars.
| No recent death has cast so great
a pail of gloom over the Linton and
! ONO people as the death of Ed.
Pitcher. as he was commonly adj
dressed. He WAS prominent in all
neighborhood affairs in the Omio
country and mad many close friends
in town. To the writer and his IA
mily this sudden death is particular
lily sorrowful, for, before her mar.
riage. the writer's wife lived in the
Pitcher family fur a year while
teaching the Omio school. De-
ceased was man of strong charac-
tier, accustomed to speak directly at
any and ali times and was held in
thigh esteem by all.
| 8tI1t,xs