(transcribed by Pat O'Dell: genpat@netins.net)

Copyright © 2003 by Pat O'Dell: This data may be used for your own family research; it may not be copied in any form or used for any other purpose (commercial or otherwise).

The subject of this sketch, Daniel W. Tucker, was born in Elizabeth City, New Jersey, in the year 1844, and died at Kansas City, Mo., Nov 30, 1915, aged 71 years, 7 months and 12 days. His father and mother preceded him to the better land some years ago, the mother having passed away Nov 20, 1896, and the father Sept 13, 1902. Deceased leaves two brothers and two sisters to mourn his departure, Fred H. Tucker of Brooklyn, N.Y., Wm. G. Tucker of Elizabeth City, N.J., Mrs Abbie Puckett of Dunlap, Iowa, and Mrs Anna A. Weese of Hamburg.

Deceased was converted and united with the Methodist church in early youth, and was a man of exemplary character, always upright and honest in his dealings with his fellow men.

The funeral services were conducted by Elder H.A. Kerr, at the home of his nephew, Willard Frazier, and the remains were laid to rest in the Hamburg cemetery.

A tragedy, which may prove fatal was enacted on extra freight No 72, close to midnight on Tuesday, near Bartlett station, when a hobo who was stealing a ride shot Brakeman Ben Miday four times while the train was running at an approximate speed of 35 miles an hour....later arrested a man in Millard hotel...

Rhoda English Hays - The subject of this sketch was born in Green county, Tennessee, August 12, 1833, and died Dec 9, 1915, aged 82 years, 3 months and 27 days. She ws married in 1853 to Patrick Hays. To this union was born six children: three of whom are living, Mrs W.S. Paul, T. Corning, Mrs H.S. Herren and Chas Hays of Watson. Besides the children she leaves nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren and a large number of friends.

Funeral services were held Friday, December 10, at the Presbyterian church; Rev. Brower conducted the services. Interment in High Creek cemetery.

The wife of Ben Niday, the brakeman who was shot by the hobo on top of a box car a short time ago, has written the following letter to friends at Clarinda, which will be of interest here on account of the prominence of the affair and the arrest of the suspect here:

Information comes to Clarinda in a letter written by the wounded man's wife from the family home, 2437 South Eleventh street, St Joseph, Mo. Mrs Niday wrote to Steve Stiverson, with whom her husband made his home before he was married. In her letter Mrs Niday said in part concerning her husband:

"He has five bullet wounds in his body. He is lucky to be alive. An X-ray photograph showed no bullets in body and no bones broken.

:The worst wound is in the lower left side of stomach. The bullet entered there and came out the back

"The doctor said yesterday that peritonitis had set in and that he might have to operate.

"There are flesh wounds under both arms, and the index finger on the right hand was shot through the joint.

"He is so weak from loss of blood.

"He has the best surgeon in the city attending him. He is at the Sisters' hospital. The doctors did not talk very encouraging yesterday. I do hope he will get well.

"He was shot by a hobo or outlaw of some kind.

Mr Niday is about 23 years of age. He was the son of the late Mr and Mrs Newton Niday, both of whom formerly lived in Clarinda. Mrs Newton Niday was Maggie Christopher before her marriage. Her husband was a railroad contractor. Mrs Newton Niday died in Omaha when her son, Ben Niday, was so young that he has no recollection of her. After the death of Ben's father, which occurred a number of years after that of his mother, Ben came to live with Mr and Mrs Steve Stiverson. He made his home in the Stiverson household for about seven years, and particularly until Mrs Stiverson died. When he went there he was, as Mr Stiverson remembers, 12 or 13 years of age. Mr Stiverson takes the shooting of Ben very much to heart, as he is very fond of the young man. He says that Ben never gave him any worry, and he does not think that any boy was ever any better to his own parents than Ben has been to him and his wife.

Ben went to railroading about seven years ago, and formerly had a run on trains numbered 98 and 99, on the Burlington, out of Clarinda.

Mrs Ben Niday formerly was Miss Georgia Baldwin. She is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Al Baldwin of Clarinda. Mrs Baldwin went to St Joseph, Mo., Sunday, to be with her daughter and son-in-law. Steve Stiverson went there Monday morning to see the wounded young man.

Mrs Jessie Matchett, whose maiden name was Dunn, was born in 1882, and died near Hamburg December 17, 1915, aged 33 years, 2 months and 8 days. She was married to Benjamin Matchett August 19, 1879. To this union was born four children, who with the husband survive and mourn her decease. She was a member of the Christian church at Galva, Kan., and died a staunch believer in the religion of Christ. She was a devoted wife and a kind, indulgent and affectionate mother. The family, relatives and community have suffered a great loss, but in her departure is the eternal gain of the departed, as it is written in God's holy book, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord."

Funeral services were conducted in the Christian church Sunday by the pastor, Elder Kerr, and the body was laid away to await the resurrection.