News from Fremont of the death of Wilbur Cook reached Blair, Saturday evening about eight o’clock. Death was caused by the accidental discharge of a gun Mr. Cook was very fond of hunting and had gone to a neighboring store to borrow a shotgun, saying he wanted to go hunting in the morning. As he reached the rear door of the Hayward shoe store, of which he was manager, the gun was discharged, the load taking effect in the head, killing him instantly. Mr. Cook graduated from the Blair high school in June, 1901, and learned the shoe business with the Blair Shoe company. About two years ago he was transferred to Fremont and given charge of a shoe store there. Last summer he was married to Miss Eva Higley. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Higley and Myron left on a night freight for Fremont. Mr. Cook has many warm personal friends here who are greatly shocked and grieved over the sad accident and in her sad affliction extend to Mrs. Cook their deep sympathy. The body will be brought to Blair on the morning train from Fremont, Tuesday, and the funeral will be from the Higley home at one o’clock Tuesday, with Rev. A. E. Marsh officiating.

#2-11 Apr., 1906 - The Blair Courier - C. Wilbur Cook

The sad news reached Blair Saturday evening that C. Wilbur Cook of Fremont, formerly of this place, had accidentally shot himself, death ensuing almost instantly. He was planning to go out hunting Sunday morning and borrowed a shotgun of a nearby repair shop and purchased a box of shells for it, putting one in the gun at once. When he reached the back door of the shoe shore he was managing, the gun was accidentally discharged, the shot going up under his right jaw, tearing away the right side of his head. He fell against the back door so that when it was opened the body fell partly inside. The county coroner was called and took the body to the morgue where the inquest was held Monday morning. The jury decided came to his death by the accidental discharge of a gun. From the morgue the body was taken to the Elk lodge rooms where it lay in state under full guard until taken to the train at nine o’clock yesterday morning. The body was accompanied to the depot by a delegation of Elks, also of Eagles and a company of volunteer firemen, he being a member of each. About twenty five Elks accompanied the remains to this city and held a short ceremony at the cemetery. The funeral was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Higley at one o’clock yesterday, Rev. A. E. Marsh officiating. The large number of floral offerings showed something of the high esteem in which Wilbur was held and the universal sorrow held for his young wife and bereaved family. Besides his young wife, formerly Miss Eva Higley of this city, to whom he was married the 21st of last June, and parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Cook, are a brother, E. W. in Canada, one unmarried sister, Miss Marion Cook and two married sisters, Mrs. Chas. Husk and Mrs. Wm. Golden of this city. Besides the orders above referred to, Wilbur was a member of the Modern Woodmen in which he carried a $2,000 policy payable to his father and mother and a $2,000 policy in an Omaha company payable to his wife. He would have been twenty three years of age on Nov. 11th, a young man indeed to have attained the position he held in the business world. He was a graduate of the High School at this place, where he lived with his parents for several years prior to his removal to Fremont. He was a promising young man in many ways, and his untimely death brings deepest sorrow to the hearts of all who knew him.

#3- 12 Apr., 1906 - The Blair Democrat - C. Wilber Cook

3 ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTS SELF C. Wilber Cook, Son-in-Law of H. H. Higley, Meets Sad Death in Fremont

Word reached Blair from Fremont shortly after eight o’clock last Saturday evening of the accidental shooting of Wilber Cook, a former Blair boy and graduate of our High School. The story is told by the Fremont Tribune as follows;

“C. Wilber Cook, manager of the Star shoe store, was accidentally killed by the discharge of a shotgun in his own hands at 7:30 Saturday evening. The distressing tragedy occurred on the steps leading to the rear door of Mr. Cook’s place of business. With hammerless gun on which the safety device was out of working order, he discharged the gun by dropping it or catching it on his clothing. The load of shot entered the right side of his neck under the jaw bone and sloughed upward, tearing away his right ear and shattering the right of the skull. Death was instantaneous.

“The body was taken to Bader Bros. morgue and kept there till 1 o’clock Monday afternoon when it was removed to the Elks club rooms where the friends of the young man will be given an opportunity to view it.

“Circumstantial evidence which accumulated immediately after the tragedy caused the belief the young manager had suicided, but theories looking to solution of the affair were entirely disqualified by the facts brought out at the inquest. The jury listened to the testimony of a dozen witnesses and returned a verdict of accidental death, the finding being as follows: That the said Wilber Cook lying dead came to his death April 7 by the accidental discharge of a shotgun.

“It was proven at the inquest that Cook had been in unusually good spirits, that his business affairs were satisfactory, that his domestic affairs were happy, that he was careless in the handling of a gun, that the gun that caused his death was out of order and liable to cause an accident, that the muzzle of the gun was ten or twelve inches from his neck where the fatal charge of shot entered which would have made it impossible for him to pull the trigger.

“The relatives of the unfortunate young man were prostrated when they learned of the shocking tragedy. The sad news was broken to them as gently as possible. The residence of the parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Cook is first door north of the home of Chief Daugherty on Bell street and he was delegated to notify them. He went at once to the home and was greeted at the door by the mother. Believing it unwise to tell her first, the officer called for Mr. Cook and was directed to the barn where the latter was doing the evening chores. He told the father that he had brought sad news and added a brief statement of the tragedy. The mother had approached the men and knew from their actions something had happened. Her husband responded to her question by telling her. She swooned and was carried into the house where a number of neighbors were summoned to care for her.

“Equally pathetic was the scene enacted about the same time at the home of the young wife. Frank Roach, a physician, Mrs. George Woltz and Mrs. Roach assumed this heartrending duty. Mr. Roach and the physician entered first, the former breaking the news. Mrs. Cook fell in a faint. She has been in her bed since, but her condition is improved and she talked calmly about the tragedy yesterday. The couple had been greatly devoted to one another. To add to the distressing sorrow of it all is the condition of the young wife who became Cook’s bride only ten months ago.

“Mrs. Cook’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Higley, and her brother Myron, arrived from Blair Sunday as did the sisters of her husband who live there, with their husbands. They are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Husk and Mr. and Mrs. Folden. Miss Marion Cook, a sister of Cook, with the above named relatives and the parents of the young man are those who survive him.

“C. Wilber Cook was 23 years of age and was born in Canada. While yet a young boy he came to Blair, Nebr. with his parents, attended the schools there and five years ago he graduated from the Blair High School. He at once went to work for the Blair Shoe company and when the Fremont branch was opened a year ago last August was sent here to manage it. His parents moved here shortly after he received this promotion.

“Last June he was married at Blair to Miss Eva Higley, a charming young woman of that place. The couple came here to reside. He was public spirited, accommodating and bright, which qualifications gave him a wide acquaintanceship and popularized him with his friends. He was afflicted with heart trouble and had suffered some severe attacks which rendered him unconscious. Once a few weeks ago he was seized suddenly in front of Eddy Bros. store and was taken home in a hack. He had suffered similar spells in the store at different times. His condition had improved lately however and he had abandoned a plan to go to Omaha to consult a physician recommended by his employers.”

The remains arrived in Blair Tuesday morning, and the funeral was conducted by Rev. A. E. Marsh, rector of the Episcopal church, from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Higley, at one o’clock p.m. The floral offerings were many and beautiful and showed the high esteem in which the unfortunate young man was held by all who knew him.

Deceased carried $2,000 insurance in the M.W.A. lodge, the policy being in favor of his parents and never transferred to his wife.

The bereaved wife and relatives have the sympathy of the entire community in their great bereavement.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Note: Born 11 Nov 1883; died 7 April 1906; Find a Grave # 81688414. Buried in Blair Cemetery.