Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-10-04
ACCIDENT KILLS
ROBT. ]. SANDS
Tragic Death of Pioneer Mer-
chant Sunday Casts Pail
Over Entire City

StdHIly hllieU touHudy dlLoIuOOu ny dll
automatic pistol, 3S caliber, which he
had been showing to James Hayes, one
Of his three companions on a trip
| through the woods near Jerome siding,
5 miles north of this city, in search Of
bee trees. William H. Johnson and
| Archie Hayes were the others in the
party Somehow, Mr.. Sands accident
ally discharged the pistol, evidently
| dropping it and discharging he
weapon in recovering it or it was dis
charged when it struck the ground. All
flour were sitting down Mr.. Sands on
| a small log and the others on the
| Ground All three had been talking to
Mr. Sands, but none of them was look,
| ing directly at him when the accident
occurred
At the report, the others of the quar-
tet glanced around just in time to see
Mr. Sands topple over dead with his
life-I:iood gushing from terrible
wound in his neck and with another
hole through the left wrist, the bullet
having passed through his wrist first.
The iugular vein was severed and the
bullet ranged upward, lodging in his
head.
Messrs. Johnson and James Hayes
came into the city at once, leaving Az
chic Hayes with the body. DR.. Ross
took party up to the woods to bring
Mr. Sands body down. 1t was brought
to Pederson's undertaking rooms and
from there was taken to the desOlated
home late the Same night.
The funeral was held Thursday after
noon, all business places in the city be-
ing closed the Masons, of which the de-
ceased was a 32nd degree member, be-
ing in charge. James Watson, of
Chippewa Falls. conducted the service,
held in the home. The house was full
and great number of people gathered
outside and waited until opportunity
was given to view the remains. Flow
ers in the greatest profusion attested
the high esteem in which the deceased
was held.
The funeral cortege was probably
the largest ever seen in Ladysmith.
The state guards, of which Mr.. Sandsl
was an enthusiastic member, were out
in full force and in uniform, as were
other organizations Of which he was
member
At the cemetery, the solemn rites of
Masonic ritual were carried out, with
taps by Bugler Reichl of the guards
at the conclusion
No man in Ladysmith was better
ityy Iln n
Bob Sands, probably no other holds
quite as high a measure of affection
than this man, whose standard was
ever the strictest honesty. whose no
bility of character was reflected in his
modest, unassuming manner to all,
high or low in the worlds scale, in his
kindness to the unfortunate, his char
ity for the views, the feelings, even the
failures, of the people with whom he
was thrown in contact. He could see
and find some good in the most friend
less Of men, Every child who knew
Bob Sands was his friend and he loved
them all.
The smile and CHEEKY word that was
always with Bob Sands, rain or shine.
the kind word of encouragement to the
friend down in the mouth the help
ing hand, and purse, to any good ana
needy cause made it a privilege to
know and have him as fellow citizen.
Always hard working, contented
with the measure of success vouch-
safed a man generous to a fault with
those with whom he had dealings, he
took his great pleasure in the quiet
home life that centered about him.
Robert James Sands was born i'll the
Province of Quebec, just north OF the
state of Maine, and on the st. Johns
river August 13, 1865. Before he was a
year old, the family moved to Moose
River, Maine, and took up residence.
When about IL years of age, Robert |
left Maine and came to Wisconsin, at
tended school in this state and worked
at logging and numbering, being always
q lover of the out of doors. He was
married on his own and his mothers
birthday Aug. 13, 1888, to Miss Ida nj.
LaMere, at Medford, going to Pittsville
to live. After year there, they
moved to Chippewa Falls, where they
made their home until May, 1890, when
they moved to Flambeau. Here they
resided for eight years, moving to War /
ner. now Ladysmith, in 1898.
Immediately after moving here. Mr..
Sands went to Klondike, with J. w.
Fritz. J. Cosgriff and Dennis Cyr as
companions. They were gone year
and seven months.
In 1902, Mr. Sands engaged in the
hardware business, his first store being
in the building at the corner of Worden-
ay and West Second-st now occupied
by Brockbank's restaurant. Fro m
there he moved to the Thomas block.
In 1909 he built the fine, three-story
building that his store has since occu-
pied, one of the best and most substan- !