Lead Daily Call
Septmber 4, 1897
Lead South, Dakota

"Died of Blood Poisoning"

Bert Kemple (Kimple) died at the hospital yesterday at 12:40 from the effects of blood poisoning. One day last week Kimple was riding a horse on the range near Belle Fourche, when the animal reared up and fell over backwards, pinning Kimple's leg under the horse's body. The rider sustained a compound comminute fracture of the ankle. His injurys were attended by a Belle Fourche physician, but did not improve and was brought to the hospital the first of this week. He arrived here five days after the accident occurred and the bones of his leg were then in a septic condition. The Homestake physicians advised Kimple to have his leg amputated above the ankle, but he was loathe to have the operation performed and upon his request the doctors attempted to save the limb, but blood poisoning set in and his death yesterday was the result.

Albert Kemple (Kimple) was a young man about 28 yrs old (Correction - Bert was 21 yrs old). He was an employee of the CY cattle company, and was a industrious sober young man. He was unmarried but it is understood that he was soon to be married which makes his death particulary sad. The body was taken to the undertaking rooms of S.R. Smith yesterday where it was embalmed. The funeral arrangements have not yet been completed as advices from Mr. Kimple's friends at Belle Fourche will be awaited.

The following article from John O'Bye's book "Back Trailing in the heart of Short Grass Country" Page 284 written from his memories:

Albert (Bert) Kimple
It was with the E 6 wagon, on the general roundup in the north cave hills about 1897, that Bert Kimple was thrown from his cutting horse which resulted in a compound fracture of his left ankle. Bert was brought by wagon about 50 miles to the Stokes ranch at Harding and Dr. Champnay was summoned from Belle Fourche. Dr. Champnay did everything possible for Bert to make him as comforable as possible for the long spring wagon "trek" to the Lead Homestake Hospital in Lead South Dakota, but the shock was too great and he passed away soon after arrival at the hospital.
Thus another young man, far from home and relatives, was a martyr to the development of a new country when transportation was by team rather than by airplane, by horseback rather than automobile and when railroad travel was so far removed that it was seldom used. Rapid City was the nearest railroad point on the South, and Dickinson, North Dakota was 125 miles away.