Aberdeen Daily News Thursday, Mar 17, 1898
Daniel Bell, for many years a resident of the country adjacent to Rondell Township, just across the line in Spink county, but for the past few years a property owner and citizen of Aberdeen, dropped dead at his farm place some time yesterday afternoon. Particulars have not been obtained at this writing, but it is said he was working about a windmill, which was being used to grind feed, when stricken down. He was about 58 years of age. He and his wife affiliated with the Presbyterian church society, and Rev. C. C. Todd of this city will conduct the funeral services which are to be held tomorrow at 11 a.m.
The deceased was a member of the Aberdeen lodges of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, and, together with the Warner lodges, they will be largely represented at the funeral. A few years ago Mr. Bell purchased the Lascelle residence on Jay street, between Third and Fourth avenues, in this city, and had resided here continuously ever since, making a good many new acquaintances and friends.
The cause of death is unknown at this time. It is stated the coroner and medical authorities of Spink county have been summoned to make an examination. It is learned that Mr. Bell went to his farm on Monday last to do some work preparatory to spring seeding. He was then, and until the time of his death apparently, in reasonably good health and strength. Desiring to use the windmill for some practical purpose, he entered the tower to make the usual coupling. Not appearing after a protracted period, an investigation was made and his lifeless body found and removed.
Mr. Bell was born September 1st, 1841, and was therefore in his 56th year. Upon December 26th, 1864, he was married to Miss Charlotte Hope. They had seven children, but all are now dead. One lies buried in Wisconsin and the others at Rondell where his own remains will rest. Mr. and Mrs. Bell were among the pioneers of this part of the west and had a large circle of acquaintances. The funeral services are to be held at the hour given in Woodman hall, several miles from Rondell postoffice.
Mar 18 --Accident and Not Disease Found to have Killed Daniel Bell
It is learned from Arthur Pugh, the undertaker summoned into the country to prepare the remains of Daniel Bell for interment, that the death of that gentleman was not caused by heart disease, as was generally taken, but by the frightful agency of strangulation.
The coroner of Spink county so found the cause, he says, and there was apparently every indication to support this explanation. Mr. Bell was accustomed to wear a silk scarf, somewhat larger than the ordinary sized gentleman’s handkerchief, about his neck. This was generally tied in a knot upon the front side of his neck. It now seems clear that the ends of this scarf caught in the shaft of the windmill and that the unfortunate man was quickly wound up on the machinery, which was moving with great briskness on account of the high wind, and almost immediately strangled to death. Pieces of the scarf were found in the machinery of the mill, and there were a marked abrasion and redness of the skin where the knot of the scarf had passed into Mr. Bell’s neck. His forehead was disfigured to some extent, and his entire features, declares Mr. Pugh, were blackened and distorted. He may have succeeded in releasing himself from his position, in one final effort, or the machinery itself may have pulled the surf apart and permitted him to fall where his lifeless body was found, about twenty feet up the tower of the mill. It seems very strange indeed that these evidences of the character of his death did not impress themselves upon those who were at the farm at the time and who brought the news to Aberdeen. In their alarm and hast they could not have made a very good examination. The accident, for such it clearly appears to be, is a remarkable one and is to be generally deplored. Ten or a dozen members of Aberdeen Lodge, I.O.O.F., drove to Woodman Hall in Rondell today to attend the funeral and pay a fine service to the earthly remains of their brother.
~Transcribed by volunteer researcher, Kathy Smith