The Redwood gazette., 1917-11-21
Old Wound Causes
6. Wingett's Death


a gun-shot wound caused the physi-
clan who responded to the sick call
Of Mrs. George Wingett. on behalf
of her husband, residing two and a
half miles from Auburn, California,
to wonder what strange malady might
have produced the end in the case of
Mr.. Wingett, who spent nearly all of
his earlier years in Redwood Falls
and Redwood county. His death oc-
Cured suddenly during the night of
November 5th, and while the physi-
clan reached the ranch after Mr.. Win
gett had passed away he searched
in vain for the cause of death, find
ing only the two blood clots near the
scanning of the flesh. He inquired
as to the cause of the seam. but Mrs.
Wingett had forgotten the event, and
it was not until the news reached
st. Paul last Saturday that trag-
edy of 1880 in the woods around Red
wood Falls was recalled by one who
knew, and who furnished the facts
that will cause the physician to state
the tragedy hurried the end of Mr..
Wingett.
How 1T Happened.
1t was during the summer of 1880
tHdt 4uI. VlHSCtI Wdo ciHplOycu III
one Of the stores in Redwood Falls.
On certain evening it was reported
that crime hS been committed
and that the criminal had made a
getaway. The sheriff of the county
called for volunteers to scour the
woods along the Redwood and the
Minnesota rivers, and among those
who enlisted in the search was Mr..
Wingett. Night had come on. All
of the searchers were armed with
revolvers, in size. all the way from
the old-fashioned ball-loading Colt
down to the diminntive % caliber
pistol. It was one of the former for
midable weapons that was in the
hands of one B. G. Dove, who was
either village marshal at that time,
or had enlisted in response to the
call of the sheriff. In the timber
along the Redwood river Mr.. Wingett
and another searcher were attempt
ing to find the criminal, the two trav-
cling as companions. Mr.. Dove, who
was travelling alone, saw their shad-
ows from the distance, and noticing
that Wingett was some distance from
his companion, commanded him to
halt. Mr.. Wingett turned, thinking
! that he had been commanded by the
culprit. and Dove, seeing that his or
der was not obeyed, pulled the trig-
ger of the Colt revolver and fired.
The ball struck Wingett somewhere
in the breast, and he fell to the
ground instantly All of the other
searchers gathered around him, but
Dove, believing that he was being
/ 49,,
fled for his home in Watson's addi-
ton. Mr.. Wingett was carried to his
room, and all of the doctors in Red
wood Falls at that time were called
in for consultation. His case was
pronounced grave. and for days his
life was despaired of. The doctors
probed for the bullet on several oc-
casions, and failing to find it, the
wound was nursed and allowed to
heal with the bullet remaining in its
! hiding place. Mr.. Wingett, during
his convalescent stage, was moved to
the farm home of his father and
mother in Vesta township, where he
remained for long time afterwards
but all of the time he complained of
something hurting him from within
not far from the wound made by the
bullet.
Dies Suddenly.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wingett, who was
Miss Teckla Schmahl, went to Au-
burn, California, about three years
/ ago, and purchased a 38 acre fruit
ranch from which they were just
commencing to realize excellent re-
turns. On the night of his death his
first complaint to his wife was from
a pain directly over the scar; he
called his wife by the old-time pet
name given her by her brothers and
sisters, and then fell over apparent
ly dead. 1t was night of heavy
rain and unusual darkness. Mrs. Win
gett lit a lantern, ran quarter Of
a mile to the nearest neighbor, at
tempted, to rouse the people of that
house, and failing to get response
ran to the house of still another
neighbor, where she met with sue
cess. Thoroughly drenched, she, ano
the neighbors returned to the Win
/ gett ranch, and an attempt to bring
Mr.. Wingett back to life seemed tc
meet with feeble response, but
when the physician arrived he pro-
nounced him, dead. An examination
showed the blood clOtS, and it is be-
lieved that the bullet shot of 1886
finally shifted to vital spot anc
caused the death.
Buried at Auburn.
Word was received at st. Paul thu
next day of Mr.. Wingett's demise
and that evening Mrs. Matilda Lieb
enguth, sister of Mrs. Wingett, lef1
| for Auburn, arriving there Friday
afternoon. The funeral occurred OF
Saturday. the interment being made
in the cemetery at Auburn.
Mr.. Wingett's father passed away
several years ago in Missouri, ant
his mother passed away at the hom,
of her son while he was living q
Dent, Otter Tail county, this state
just before the son and his wife lef
for California. He was the onl,
surviving child of q couple that came
to Redwood Falls during the early
history Of that town, the father. Har
vey Wingett, conducting druf
store, while Mrs. Wingett was fle
vout worker IN the Presbyterian
~. 1.