The Indianapolis times., 1923-09-03
CITY JOINS HANDS
TO HONOR BELL IN
3, :. IMPRESSIVE RITES
Shank and BookWaIter Praise
. His Record as Mayor of
Indianapolis,


Joseph E. Bell, who was killed acci-
dentaliy late Saturday by a discharge
of a shotgun at the Indianapolis Gun
Club, will be held at the home, 3736
n. Meridian St, at o'clock Tuesday
afternoon. Services will be private.
Burial In Crown Hill.
The body was removed from the
FIanner & Buchanan parlors to the
residence this afternoon. The family
has announced that friends may view
t1te body at the residence this after
noon and Tuesday morning.
Prominent Indianapolis citizens to-
day united in paying tribute to the
memory of Mr.. Bell. who served the
city as chief executive from 1914 70
1918. Mayor Lew Shank and former
Mayor Charles A. Bookwalter ex-
pressed their sympathy and praised
the record of Bell as mayor.
Trigger Caught by Cloth
sMr. Bell met his death almost in
simultaneously Saturday afternoon at
the Gun Club while attempting to
clean grease from the barrel of his
gun
Friends standing nearby said he
had rested the butt of the gun on the
porch, with the muzzle against his
stomach.
The cloth apparently engaged the
trigger. firing the gun. He fell to the
porch and died without gaining con-
sciousness.
Mrs. Bell who was standing near
By. was the first to reach his side. He
died before the arrival of DR.. T. +.
Johnson Of Ben Davis.
Mrs. Bell was almost in Mysteries
when she realized what had happened.
Physicians today reported her con-
dttion better.
Witnesses Tell of The Accident
Associates of Mr. Bell at the Gun
Club said he had just completed a
good score ON the gun club course.
but had complained about his greasy
gun.
Charles P. Trask, 1855 z. Washing
ton ST., and Clem Stair manager of
the Puritan Hotel, were standing near
when the. fatal accident occurred.
SThey said Mr.. Bell fell backward
after being shot. He groaned few
times, but was unable to speak.
Mr.. Bell was elected mayor on the
Shank administration.
Since leaving office he had been
practicing law, S35 State Life Bldg.
Accomplishments as Mayor
The three greatest accomplishments
OF his administration included the flood
prevention work, track elevation and
construction Of Pogue Run sewer.
Other work included completion Of
the sunken gardens in Garfield park,
dark and boulevard development.
campaigns against short weights and
measures, remodeling of the city mar
ket and changing the city light sys-
tenn.
Mr.. Bell was proud Of the work Of
bis administration and up to the day
of his death pointed at his contribu-
don TO the city welfare. Me was in
rensely interested in public work, and
resented any attack made to embar-
rass him or the administration.
Mr.. Bell was born in Union County,
Nov 2S,. 1865. After attending COM
mon school, he taught two years and
worked his way through the univer-
sity of Michigan Law School, where
he was graduated in 1883.
Partner of John W. Kern
His political career began the same
year when he made speeches after
opening a law office in indianapolis
In 1897 Mr.. Bell entered a law part
nership with John W. Kern, which
continued until 1911 when Kern was
elected to the United States Senate.
Mr.. Bell announced his candidacy
for mayor in 1913. He had served
the Democratic party as district and
county chairman and was a delegate
TO the national convention at St.
Louis in 1904 and in Baltimore in
1912.
He was married the first time in
1888. his wife dying in April 1910.
He second marriage was TO Stella
D. Umphrey Of Indianapolis. Jan. s,
1918, who survives.
Surviving: Two brothers, Albert
Bell. who lives in Union County, and
James Bell. Tradestown, Florida, and
sister, Mrs. Melinda Moore of Green
wood. and one stepson, Lawrence Um-
phrey of Indianapolis.