The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-10-21
Passed Away Suddenly While Ser
1. wing as Bailiff in Court. "a

Joseph Fisher, veteran popcorn
vender of OskaloOsa, operator of a
refreshment booth located at the
side Of the Vanderzee jeweIry house
on First avenue, cOrReT' OF Market
street, dropped dead in q the court
house about foUEthirtyltO'cl clock Tues
day safternnpnyF 0ctObernI9. 1918, of
apOplexXa or heart trouble.
Deceased had Ijbeen engaged as
grand jury baitiff' since the opening
Of the 0ctObers term of court and was
nj his post oEdDty at the door of the
graada jury room, the q: Al r. hall,
On the third floor oil. the court house.
Guy Roof, one OF the grand jury pan
ell, Was wanted, and $. v Reynolds
had volunteered his services to see
if he, could be, called from the jury
room. MIR. Reynolds, went to the
room, stated his errand To- the bailifr
stationed in the hall, who opened the
door Of the room and called for Mr.
Roo. g.
Up TO this time the actions of the
old man had been natural. lie had
joked with Mr.. Reynolds about the
unusual nature OF the call. AS he
turned back from the door, however,
ii was Immediately apparent to Mr..
Reynolds and TO number of grand
jury. Witnesses sitting in the hall,
that, something was wrong. Dis
tress was written upon the counte.
nance OF the man. llce was unable
to. close the door, lie appealed to
Mr. Reynolds, "Oh, catch me sonny"
For a moment Mr.. Reynolds thought
the Old fellow still joking, but when
his cane fell to the floor and he be-
gan sinking Mr.. Reynolds sprang for.
ward from = the stairway railing
against whieh-he was leaning, just in
time to ease tie fab to- the floor!
Mr.. Fisher looked aprealingly into
the face of'the attorney bending over
him but uttered mo word A~muscu.
lar relaxation followed and he was
dead. 80 ~. 4 .~.', .''"''
Some women sitting near, scream
ed for water. Mr.. Reynolds called
quickly for aSsistanc from the grand
jury room. County Attorney John
MCGhltchen, members of the grand
jury and others were HoOn upon the
sGene!1 MIR. ,MeGutchen@ called DIR.
Rodgers byaphene and the. physician
was in attendance without delay.
But the old man was beyond recall :.
Re"had died practically instantly.
The body was removed i to the
Cheesman Funeral Home where" it
was cared for ~
Joseph Fisher has been. constant
resident of 0skaloosa for a term OF
almost thirty-fiYe years. He came
here from Streator, Illinois, in the
early eighties and was engaged for
years as. mine foreman and timber
man in the, old William 4. Smith
Asme coal lnine southwest of town
AID with other mining properties.
He has been retired through a num-
Der OGrvoars. bat has kept in touch
with the public. through little pop
corn stand for time located at the
corner of the court house and later
at the southwest corner OF. the park.
He was native OF. England, born at
Linby,. September &c, 1898, and was
% days past eighty years OF age at
date of death He is survived by
Eye children. two sons, George Wash
ingtOn, Of OskaIOOsa, and Lincoln, Of
Eureka, South Dakota, ald three
daughters; Miriam, wife of w. b.
Rogers of DeS MOines; Jane, wife OF
A. G.. Nelson, of Lees Summit, Mo,
and Mayme, wife of7Charles lsaacson
of Buxton. '''t ~! - g., y
Funeral in the Central Methodist
Episcopal church, Friday afternoon
at 80 O'Clock. lntcrment in Forest
cemetery by the side Of the wife who
preceded the husband to the other
side several years ago. Deceased
was member of the Methodist EpiS-
copal chuFch. ~ ,