Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-09-05
DEATH OF MARTIN J. o'eRlEN

Details of the Sad Occurrence as
Given In ortonville and Grace
VILE Papers.
The Accident.
On Tuesday morning, Mr.. sO'Brien
accompanied by Jake Meyers of
Graceville, D. j. McNally,. a private
in Company L, LIST Minnesota, who
was visiting friends in Graceville, and
Mr.. Mcclellan, land man of Roches-
ter, Mimi, left Graceville for this CITY
to look after business matters. When
short distance this side of Clinton,
Wiley Ross of Clinton drove up be-
hind them and later turned out and
went around, both cars travelling at
moderate rate of speed. After driv-
ing behind the Ross car for mile
or more, Mr.. O'Brien decided to pass
the Ross car on account of the dust
being so bad. He turned out to the
left of the road and went around, the
cars travelling at between twenty-five
and thirty miles per hour, and as he
swung back into the road he sudden
ly discovered that they we're about to
meet another car which was travelling
north. He Immediately attempted to
slow down and cross to the side of the
road. It was at this time that the car
skidded and the accident occurred, the
big car turning completely over, at
least once, and landing right side up.
Some OF the parties who were the
first on the scene say that conditions
would indicate that the car turned
over twice.
When Ross came up to them, Nc
Nally had gotten to his feet and was
standing near the wreck, while Mey-
ers was sitting on a rock some dis
lance away, both in daaed condition,
Mr.. O'Brien being the only member Of
the party who was still in the car
He was still conscious and suffering a
great deal. Ross and McNally as
sisted him into the Ross car and he
was brought 10 the Grand View hos
pital in this city and placed under
the care Of Drs. Bolsta and Karn- DR..
Oliver Of Graceville was called imme-
diately. An examination disclosed
severe internal injuries to the upper
portion of the body which had evil
IDENTIFY been crushed beneath the
steering wheel when the car went
over. Portions of the ribs having pen
etrated the lungs, causing internal
hemorrhages which resulted in death
at about 100 o'clock.
Relatives at Graeeville were mott
fed at once and his wife and brother
A. D. O'Brien, arrived in time to be
with him some little time before
!, death.
Messrs. Meyers and Mcclellan re-
turned to Graceville in the Henry Nc.
Kee car, which was bound for Chokio
and was the car which they were at.
tempting to turn out to meet when the
accident occurred Their injuries
,, which were not of serious nature
were attended to at the hospital at
Graceville. Mentally received a few
slight bruises about the head and face
and was otherwise quite badly shaken
up. but his injuries were not serious
, The car was brought to this city un
, der it's own power shortly after the
accident by Emil Ostlind of the Parl
, Garage. Everything above the body
was completely demolished
M. J. O'Brien was one of the pic
neer business men of Graceville an6
+ was always to be found identified with
! any enterprise which would tend tt
l.. build up the community in which hi
! lived. He was held in high esteem
! by the people Of Graceville and vicin
o ity and was last fall elected as {
8 member iof the board of County com
y missioners, in fact, he was on his wa,
i to this city to attend special meet
i ing Of the county board when tn,
accident occurred-Ortonville Jour
nal.
Sketch of Life
9 Martin J. O'Brien was the eldes
:, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Dennis O'Brien
:, and was born in Kandiyohi county OF
:, February 20, 1872, being at the TIM
:. :. of his death, in his 10th year. H.
:. was brought up in Willmar and as
= young man was conductor for the G
y, N. railway, running out of Willmar
:. later being in the lumber and mer
chandise business and for few year
:. in Alaska and the West. He CAM
= here in 1901 and was associated witt
~ his brother, A. D. O'Brien, in the BIZ
- Stone County Bank and the O'Brie]
- Land Co., also having farming inte,
:, ests near this place. In 1908 he wa
=, married to Agnes Hartnett, daughte
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Nj. D. Hartnett, VIII
with three young sons, Andrew, job
and Martin, survive him, as do ais
- his mother, Mrs. Kate O'Brien, hi
~ brother, A. D., of this place, and tw
= sisters, Mrs. VIM. Moroney, of Boards
ley, Mrs. D. H. Grady, of Portage
Wis, both of whom were here to al
D. tend the funeral. He had been pres
10 dent Of the village council here an
n member of the Hibernians, the A
>, o. U. W., Woodmen, Elks and Knight
n OF Columbus, being District Deput
If of the latter fraternity. At the tim
r. of his death he was president of tn
newly incorporated Gracevi3le Stat
Bank and was member Of the boar
II Of county commissioners. He was q
e. all times a most prominent figure l.
n affairs Of public nature and ha
Ebeen remarkably hn,orod with roo