Arthur Hagstrom Obituary
Ashland Clipper, March 20, 1913
ARTHUR HAGSTROM
_____
OBITUARY.
Died: - At the farm residence ten miles southeast of Ashland on Saturday,
March 15, 1913, at 12:15 p.m., Arthur Hagstrom, aged 28 years, 3 months and 18
days.
This community was profoundly shocked last Saturday by the announcement that
Arthur, who was well known to many people of this city had been suddenly cut off
in the flower of his manhood.
Coroner Ireland was called and after viewing the scene and hearing the facts
decided that an inquest was unnecessary and the body was brought to town and
prepared for burial.
Arthur was born at Vilas, Kansas, of Swedish parentage, Nov. 27, 1884. He grew
to manhood at Vilas, living with his parents until April, 1912, when he came to
Clark county. He graduated with honors from the common schools, spent four
years at Ottawa, graduating from the academy in 1908. He leaves to mourn his
untimely death his father, who was making his home with him here, his mother and
two sisters, living at Vilas, and Bernard, his brother, of Utica, Kansas.
Death seems to come in its saddest form when it takes from among us a youth in
the full pride of his strength, whose limbs are full of activity and whose
thoughts are of the future. Arthur was a young man of exemplary character,
respected and beloved by all his neighbors and friends. He was a devout member
of the Methodist church with which he united at a very early age, and was an
active worker in the Sunday school and a member of the gospel team recently
organized.
The father, Oscar Hagstrom left for Vilas Monday morning with the body where
interment took place, Wednesday.
To the bereaved family we extend the heartfelt sympathy of the many friends of
Arthur in this community where his strength of character and manly purity was
highly appreciated.
_____
Coroner Dr. Ireland decided that Mr. Hagstrom committed suicide, while a number
of those who claim to be in a position to pass judgment that his death was ever
accidental. At any rate he came to his death from a shot fired from a shot gun,
the entire charge striking near one ear and angling upward. The charge did not
pass through the skull bone. He seems to have taken the gun and started to
climb a ladder which was in the back room of the granary in which they were
making their temporary home, which ladder led to a window above from which he
had been shooting rabbits this winter, and, it is the contention of those who
deny the suicide theory, as he climbed, the hammer of the gun caught and the gun
discharged with the dreadful results. The body was found at the foot of the
ladder. The father was in the house at the time and heard the shot, and though
he rushed out at once, he was unable to determine how it happened. He found the
body as stated.
Contributed by ~Shirley Brier~ October 5, 2005.
Back to
Obituaries
Back to Main
Page