Obituaries (May 5)

Fred Leonard Willcox

1884 - 1942

Fred Leonard Willcox died Sunday afternoon, March 15, at his late home in North Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], at the age of 58.  He leaves is wife, Grace, and a stepson, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Eaton of Norwich; one daughter, Mrs. Jene Welty of Rome; one sister, Mrs. Cora Huttleston of Binghamton, and one nephew, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Huttleston of Binghamton; one niece, Mrs. Nellie Setliff of Binghamton, and one cousin, Mr. and Mrs. Mason Aldrich of Norwich.  Several other cousins, one sister-in-law, Mrs. Ida Secor of Cortland; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Mary Coleman; one brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Coleman of Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Caffre of Norwich.  Rev. Larrison of Norwich preached the funeral sermon and Alfred White sang two solos "Beyond the Sunset" and "Good Night and Good Morning."  The bearers were George Campbell, Alfred White, Fremont Tucker, Wendell Lamb, Arley Manwarren and Delmer Law. The beautiful flowers testified to the high esteem in which the deceased was held.

Dr. Velmore Huse
Sidney Record, May 29, 1909

The friends in Sidney of the late physician Velmore Huse, who died in New York city on the 7th of May, are ready to vouch for the accuracy of a remarkable incident which occurred before what might be termed Dr. Huse's second death.  Dr. Huse was a comparatively young man of thirty-four years of age.  He was established in the medical profession in New York city, making a brilliant success in a vast city where failure is the common lot of young physicians.  He died of peritonitis, the result of an operation for appendicitis.  His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Huse, of Livingstonville, N.Y., were notified that the end was approaching.  Their grief was great when they arrived at the Alston sanatorium and learned that their son, who earnestly wished to see them, had died a few hours before.

It is a well known fact, ancient as the world itself, that a comatose condition frequently precedes death, and the fact must also be borne in mind that the patient in this case was a skilled physician, which gives force to his last and emphatic utterance. When the parents arrived Dr. Huse had been pronounced dead by the physicians, nurses and others of the sanatorium.  Of this fact they were quite positive nd it was so announced to the parents.

Some time after the arrival of the parents, to the astonishment of everyone Dr. Huse opened his eyes. The nurse recovering from her surprise, remarked; "You have been in a deep sleep doctor."  The doctor slowly replied: "I was not asleep; I was dead."  This was said in tones of deep and firm conviction.  The parents were summoned to his bedside. Dr. Huse conversed with them about business matters of importance and shortly died in the presence of his afflicted parents.

Under ordinary conditions, there would attach to a statement of this kind from a dying person little or no importance, but the emphatic utterance of a trained medical mind adds weight to the strange assertion and still another marvel to the realm of psychology.  Mrs. C.L. VanTassell, of Sidney, was personally acquainted with Dr. Huse, and has received a letter form his parents relating the facts in this remarkable case.

Frank Bush

Sidney Record, May 29, 1909

Last Sunday morning at 10:30 while church bells peeled welcome to worshippers, Ray Hall while walking along the O.&W. track a short distance from the station in Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], discovered the body of a badly wounded man near the track.  The victim proved to be Frank Bush, a young man of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].  Medical aid was quickly summoned.  Bush, although feeble from loss of blood, was able to walk to the station, where it was seen that the skull was fractured.  A long wait followed, until the arrival of the Northbound milk train and he was taken to Oneida, but died on the way there. The circumstances in the case indicate that Bush was struck by a train while walking along the tracks.  Within a foot of the rails, about 75 feet from the place where he was found lying in the ditch, was a large pool of blood.  How long he lay there suffering will probably never be known.  He was seen around Guilford Saturday  night.

Chenango Telegraph, May 25, 1909

Because Norwich's hospital is still only a faint hope, another man, whose life might have been saved had the local project not lapsed into a comatose state, is dead.  Sunday morning, Frank Bush, son of Judson Bush of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], was found lying beside the railroad tracks at Guilford.  He was removed to the depot and started for Oneida--the nearest city with a hospital--on the first train.  But the delay had been too long.  He died before he reached a place where he could receive proper attention.

Ray Hall was walking along the Ontario & Western tracks, 100 feet north of the Guilford station about 10:30 o'clock Sunday morning when near W.W. Nash's feed store, his attention was attracted by a body lying in the ditch beside the tracks.  He investigated and found Bush lying there badly wounded, in a semi-conscious condition.  Help was summoned and supported on each side, Bush was able to walk to the station.  Drs. R.M. Clark and A.H. Evans were called and found that Bush was probably suffering from a fractured skull.  Without the facilities for performing the delicate operation necessary in such cases, the surgeons could do little but wait for a train to come and then start the unfortunate man for Oneida, where he could receive proper treatment.  There were two cuts on the right side of his head, one a torn, lacerated cut. When the afternoon milk train came along, Bush was placed on a bed in the caboose and started for Oneida in the caboose and started for Oneida in care of Dr. Evans.  Just before the train reached Eaton, he died.

The circumstances in the case indicate that Bush was struck by a train while walking along the tracks.  Within a foot of the rails about 75 feet from the place where he was found lying in the ditch, was a large pool of blood.  How long he lay there suffering will probably never be known.  He was seen around Guilford Saturday night.  He had been working for A. Kagel, it is said.  There was nothing on the body by which it could be identified.  The only contents of Bush's clothing were some loose cigarette papers, a pipe, an empty tobacco pouch and a mouth organ.  He was dressed in two pairs of trousers, one stripped and one dark; a black and white shirt, blue undershirt and a dark coat.  He wore two rings, one set with a blue stone and one a seal ring, marked with the letter "L."  When Norwich was reached, Bush was recognized by local parties.  After he died on the way to Oneida hospital, the body was taken on to Oneida, where Coroner Brooks was summoned and ordered an autopsy made.  The autopsy was performed by Drs. Wiles and Piaff.  It revealed a fracture of the skull and a clot of blood on the brain, which was ascertained as the cause of death.  This morning, Judson Bush, father of the unfortunate young man, went to Oneida, with Undertaker Breese and brought the body back to Norwich for burial.

The moral of this story is so plain that it needs little comment.  A year ago, almost to a month, a series of shocking accidents aroused public sentiment in Norwich to such an extent that a start and a good start too, was made toward providing an emergency hospital, at least, in this village.  An association was formed and several hundred dollars were raised to further the project.  Since "fair" time nothing has been heard of the scheme.  Had the people who were back of the project gone ahead with it, there would have been a suitable place for the treatment of accident cases in Norwich by this time.  In that case it would not have been necessary to send Frank Bush on the long journey to Oneida and it is extremely probable that a human life would have been saved.  Why is not the present a good time to renew activity for the Norwich hospital?