Injuries sustained when he fell a distance of forty feet from the top of the H. A. Hillmer Company grain elevator at Ridott last Thursday, caused the death this morning of William Y. Brown, local manager for the Hillmer Company at that place. Mr. Brown passed away at St. Francis Hospital where he was taken immediately following the accident. The injuries sustained at the time included a broken pelvic bone, a broken left leg between the hip and knee, broken left ankle broken right wrist and internal injuries. Although everything possible was done to combat the injuries sustained and although Mr, Brown made a brave struggle to survive, Mr. Brown was forced to succumb about 8 o'clock this morning. He was surrounded by members of his family when he passed on. Coroner E. A. Diestenieier impaneled a coroner's jury to inquire into the death this afternoon. The accident took place while Mr. Brown and Wilbur Carey were in the act of placing some wire screens on the cupola of the building at Ridott. Mr. Brown had taken the precaution of placing a guard wire around the cupola, but was outside of the wire when he accidentally slipped and fell to the ground, a distance of about forty feet. He struck on the railroad tracks below, sustaining the fatal injuries. One of the wire screens became caught on a nail and when pulled by Mr. Brown it loosened with a jerk, throwing him backward, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the tracks below. Mr. Brown was well and favorably known throughout Stephenson County and the news of his passing came as a distinct shock to his many friends, who had entertained hopes to the very last for his recovery. Following his injuries, pneumonia developed and it became apparent late yesterday that he could not survive although he continued the struggle for life until the very last. The stricken family has the sympathy of a wide circle of friends, Mr. Brown having had the happy faculty of making friends wherever he went. William Y. Brown was born in Rock Run Township on September 16,1871, having been a son of John H. and Sarah C. Brown. He was reared in that community, the family later moving to the Township of Dakota where he resided for several years. He was united in marriage on December 12, 1894, to Miss Emma Ritzman, the ceremony having taken place at the old Clifton Hotel, Mrs. Brown's father having been proprietor of that hostelry at that time. He was employed by the late Casper Nelrus, when the latter was engaged in the ice business in Freeport for several years and about twenty years ago entered the employ of the Hillmer Company at Ridott, having continued with that concern ever since and having been manager of the Hillmer elevator at Ridott at the time of his untimely accident. Practically all of his life was spent in Stephenson County. Mr. Brown is survived by his widow and the following children: Catherine, at home; Roscoe Brown, Lorraine, Ohio; Mrs. Kenneth Haller, Glendale, California; Mrs. Loyal McHoes, Freeport. His mother, Mrs. Sarah C. Brown, resides at 213 West Elk Street, while the following brothers and sisters also survive: Clark J. Browne, Freeport; Mrs. Nellie Wolf, Freeport; Mrs. Richard Dryden, Keithsburg, Ill.; Mrs, D. C. Rinker, Freeport; Mrs. Martha Sampson, Waynesville, Ill.; John H. Brown, Houston, Texas. He was a member of the Winneshiek Lodge of Odd Fellows of Freeport. For many years Mr. Brown had served as village clerk of the Village of Ridott, having been chosen to that office on the Republican ticket. He took an active interest in politics and all civic affairs and was one of the Republican leaders of that community for many years. The remains will lie in state at the Kuehner Funeral Chapel until Thursday afternoon when funeral services will be conducted from that place. Burial will be made at Oakland Cemetery; more definite arrangements to be announced later. The following tribute to Mr. Brown is offered by H. A. Hillmer of the Hillmer Company: 'We never knew a man who was more uniformly kind in his attitude towards his fellow men than Will Brown. He was absolutely honest and knew no fear. He had courage without any bragging and would go any length or to any trouble to be of service to his community. His loss will be great not only to his family but to the town of Ridott. We are sincere in our conviction when we say that no man filled as large a place in his community. He was unpretentious but very efficient and in every way a most valuable man. We lack words to express our loss.' FREEPORT (Ill.) JOURNAL-STANDARD, 27 Oct. 1525, p. 3.
Injuries sustained when he fell a distance of forty feet from the top of the H. A. Hillmer Company grain elevator at Ridott last Thursday, caused the death this morning of William Y. Brown, local manager for the Hillmer Company at that place. Mr. Brown passed away at St. Francis Hospital where he was taken immediately following the accident. The injuries sustained at the time included a broken pelvic bone, a broken left leg between the hip and knee, broken left ankle broken right wrist and internal injuries. Although everything possible was done to combat the injuries sustained and although Mr, Brown made a brave struggle to survive, Mr. Brown was forced to succumb about 8 o'clock this morning. He was surrounded by members of his family when he passed on. Coroner E. A. Diestenieier impaneled a coroner's jury to inquire into the death this afternoon. The accident took place while Mr. Brown and Wilbur Carey were in the act of placing some wire screens on the cupola of the building at Ridott. Mr. Brown had taken the precaution of placing a guard wire around the cupola, but was outside of the wire when he accidentally slipped and fell to the ground, a distance of about forty feet. He struck on the railroad tracks below, sustaining the fatal injuries. One of the wire screens became caught on a nail and when pulled by Mr. Brown it loosened with a jerk, throwing him backward, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the tracks below. Mr. Brown was well and favorably known throughout Stephenson County and the news of his passing came as a distinct shock to his many friends, who had entertained hopes to the very last for his recovery. Following his injuries, pneumonia developed and it became apparent late yesterday that he could not survive although he continued the struggle for life until the very last. The stricken family has the sympathy of a wide circle of friends, Mr. Brown having had the happy faculty of making friends wherever he went. William Y. Brown was born in Rock Run Township on September 16,1871, having been a son of John H. and Sarah C. Brown. He was reared in that community, the family later moving to the Township of Dakota where he resided for several years. He was united in marriage on December 12, 1894, to Miss Emma Ritzman, the ceremony having taken place at the old Clifton Hotel, Mrs. Brown's father having been proprietor of that hostelry at that time. He was employed by the late Casper Nelrus, when the latter was engaged in the ice business in Freeport for several years and about twenty years ago entered the employ of the Hillmer Company at Ridott, having continued with that concern ever since and having been manager of the Hillmer elevator at Ridott at the time of his untimely accident. Practically all of his life was spent in Stephenson County. Mr. Brown is survived by his widow and the following children: Catherine, at home; Roscoe Brown, Lorraine, Ohio; Mrs. Kenneth Haller, Glendale, California; Mrs. Loyal McHoes, Freeport. His mother, Mrs. Sarah C. Brown, resides at 213 West Elk Street, while the following brothers and sisters also survive: Clark J. Browne, Freeport; Mrs. Nellie Wolf, Freeport; Mrs. Richard Dryden, Keithsburg, Ill.; Mrs, D. C. Rinker, Freeport; Mrs. Martha Sampson, Waynesville, Ill.; John H. Brown, Houston, Texas. He was a member of the Winneshiek Lodge of Odd Fellows of Freeport. For many years Mr. Brown had served as village clerk of the Village of Ridott, having been chosen to that office on the Republican ticket. He took an active interest in politics and all civic affairs and was one of the Republican leaders of that community for many years. The remains will lie in state at the Kuehner Funeral Chapel until Thursday afternoon when funeral services will be conducted from that place. Burial will be made at Oakland Cemetery; more definite arrangements to be announced later. The following tribute to Mr. Brown is offered by H. A. Hillmer of the Hillmer Company: 'We never knew a man who was more uniformly kind in his attitude towards his fellow men than Will Brown. He was absolutely honest and knew no fear. He had courage without any bragging and would go any length or to any trouble to be of service to his community. His loss will be great not only to his family but to the town of Ridott. We are sincere in our conviction when we say that no man filled as large a place in his community. He was unpretentious but very efficient and in every way a most valuable man. We lack words to express our loss.' FREEPORT (Ill.) JOURNAL-STANDARD, 27 Oct. 1525, p. 3.
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