In the 1700's there were the Pontiac Rebellion school massacre on 26 July 1764.
Four Lenape American Indians entered the school in Greencastle, PA (Present day). They shot and Killed nine to ten children and only 2 survived.
Another school shooting I would like to mention is a horrible act against not only mankind but children who are so innocent in life.
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| Andrew Philip Kehoe |
His mother Mary McGovern died in 1890 and his father Philip Kehoe re-married. Andrew didn't like her very much and reportedly, Kehoe often argued with his stepmother. When Kehoe was 14 the family's stove exploded as she was attempting to light it. The oil fuel soaked her, and she caught fire. He watched his stepmother burn for a few moments before throwing water from a bucket on her; due to the oil-based nature of the fire, the water exacerbated the flames. She later died from her injuries. Allegations were made that the stove had been tampered with.
He was an American farmer and treasurer of his township school board, in Bath, MI. Was also the school's caretaker, on May 18th, 1927 had planted the bomb at the school. Because had been angry about property taxes used to fund the school.
Andrew gained a reputation for being just the slightest bit odd in his mannerisms and behaviors, but never enough to seriously worry anyone.
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| Bath Consolidated School The school was in session that warm Spring day |
and Andrew had a plan in motion He had stockpiled over 1000 tons of explosives in the basement of the school. He also had dynamite at his farm. At about 9am the school blew up. Andrew then pulled up to the school and called the superintendent over to his car and as he approached Andrew shot his shotgun into the explosives killing them both, 30 minutes after the school blew up.
As far as we know
38 children and seven teachers at the school were killed, 61 other people were severely wounded.
As far as we know
38 children and seven teachers at the school were killed, 61 other people were severely wounded.
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Bath Consolidated School after the bombing.
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| Andrew Kehoe's car |
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| All that was left of Kehoe's car after it blew up in the street, killing himself, the superintendent, Mr. Huyck, Glenn O. Smith, Nelson McFarren, and a little boy, Cleo Claton, and injuring several others. It damaged much property. There is a house on the corner of the school and not far from where Kehoe's car set that was nearly ruined by burrs, bolts, and scrap iron being driven through it. There was considerably damaged done to the nearby houses and it took over a thousand dollars to replace the windows that were broken by the two explosions. |
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Five hundred and four pounds of unexploded pyrotol that was taken out of the basement of the unwrecked portion of the school by two state troopers, Lieutenant McNaughton, and Halderman, Lieutenant Lyle W. Morse, assistant chief of the secret service department of public safety, and Paul Lefke, assistant chief of the Lansing Fire Department. This dynamite was divided up into eight different charges in different sections of the basement. |
Would you think the man sitting next to you in church every Sunday could do this?
Andrew and Nellie Kahoe's house before the disaster.
This was Kehoe's home before it was destroyed by him. This house was finished in oak
throughout and was equipped with a furnace; lighting plant, and pressure tanks that
furnished hard and soft water on all three floors
The ruined farm implements that were left where the tool shed once stood.
Kehoe had implements and tools enough, if sold, to pay off the mortgage
he had on the farm.
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| A close-up of the arrangement Kehoe had in his chicken coop. The bottle was filled with gasoline and turned up in the can. A buzzer was arranged with a spark plug and wire running to the house where he must have had a battery. He must have used this kind of an arrangement in all his other buildings as there were wires running from the house to all of them; practically all of the buildings started at the same time |
The location of Nellie Kehoe's body was found.
Where Mrs. Kehoe's charred body was found the morning following the catastrophe.
Thousands of people passed by it on the previous day, but not thinking of finding
her in any such place, lay there unnoticed.
Always an abusive man, he sank even further into madness and brutally killed Nellie at their home. He left her body in a wheelbarrow by a shed. He then killed all of his animals and blew up his house and barn shortly before the bomb he'd planted at the school went off.
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| The remains of his house after he blew it up |
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| Andrew put this on the fence outside his property |
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| Add caption |
So what are your thoughts???
I believe criminals are made.
Nellie (Ellen) as she was called was born in Zilwaukee, Michigan, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Ann Price. When her mother passed away, she raised her younger sisters. She then married Andrew Kehoe.
Ellen Prices body was claimed by her family and buried in Lansing, Ingham, Michigan. Nellie had been a good woman, and her devastated family buried her under her maiden name of Price. Nellie's high mass funeral was among the first held. Due to the horrific tragedy, it was a media circus at the time. The officiating priest asked that she and her husband, "be forgiven, for they know not what they do." Nellie had no children of her own.
Mrs. Kehoe's people lived in Bath township when she was a girl, and the people thought a great deal of her. God, alone, only knows what she suffered during her married life, as she was no woman to complain. She was always cheerful and pleasant. The people, knowing her fine character, were glad to see her come back into the neighborhood. They were immediately invited to attend parties and clubs in which they soon became members. Mr. Kehoe was not very prominent. He was sociable but when you would be talking with him it seemed as though he weighed every word before he spoke. He was very careful not to say anything about his own business. Both were members of the Bath Social club. The club met about every two weeks during the winter months and the evenings were spent playing progressive euchre. If any of the players at the table with Mr. Kehoe didn't play just right he immediately told them that they were not playing according to the instructions given by Hoyle. The people didn't get angry at him but they didn't like his severity at a social party. On one occasion the Social club met at the Kehoe home where they spent a pleasant evening. Refreshments were served at eleven o'clock and then Mr. Kehoe furnished each man with a different puzzle that he made himself. These puzzles were made mostly of heavy copper and he said that he had many more. They showed master workmanship. He must have spent much time making them.
He never attracted much attention around the neighborhood. There was something about him that no matter how good a friend you thought you were of him, there always seemed to be a distant feeling. He would give you a straight answer with no explanation. I was talking with Mr. Kehoe during farmers' week at the Michigan State College, East Lansing, in February, 1926. While I was talking with him I asked him if he was going over to the college. He said, "No, they would just tell the farmers a lot of things that were impossible to do." He said, "last night I was listening over my radio to a speaker who started in by telling what colleges he had been to and what countries he had been in. I shut that off and went to the telephone and called the college and asked them what in h--- they wanted of a speaker who would just get up and brag about himself. That's the last time I am going to listen to them this week." I was talking with Kehoe early this spring, in 1927. The snow was off the ground and it was freezing nights and thawing day times. I said, "This is not very good wheat weather." He said, "No, and I am glad of it. The farmers ought not to raise any more wheat until the country needed it badly. The d--- fool farmers will never be any better off than they are now because if they do raise anything they will brag about it to everyone else." He also said that it would be like the d--- fool up in northern Michigan that raised an extra big crop of potatoes last year and then came down to the college at East Lansing during farmers' week and told the world how he done it, so everybody would know as much about it as he did.
The Victims
Virginia Blanche Richardson was eleven years old and in the fifth grade. She was in the school at the time and fell from the second floor. When asked about the tragedy, she says everything went into the air and she put her arms over her face. She looked for the door and not being able to find it, saw a light and went out through the wall which had been blown away.
Before the explosion she met her brother on the stairs as she was going up and they smiled at each other. That was the last time she saw him alive.
The other sister, Martha Harriette, a nine year old, was in the fourth grade. She thought she fell out of her seat. Martha tried to call to her teacher, Miss Weatherby, who was killed, but found she could not speak, finally, her speech came to her and she called to her daddy.
Three stitches were taken in her chin. Her instep on one foot was cut to the heel, the other leg was bruised and raked.INIA and MARTHA RICHARDSON, (Back row) RICHARD and their mother, MRS. GUY RICHARDSON
Arnold Victor Bauerle, born in Dewitt township, February 15, 1919, was in the third grade. Even at that age he had a great head for figures. He asked to be given numbers which often ran into the millions.
His father often told him he would never be a farmer because he ate so slow.
He was always busy at something. If not in school, he was playing baseball.
Arnold wanted to go to Lansing with his parents on the day he was killed, but he had had whooping cough and had been out of school so much that they thought he ought not stay out of school any more. They were in Lansing at the time of the blast at the school.
He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bauerle, one brother and one sister. Interment was in the Dewitt cemetery.
Carlyle Walter Geisenhaver was born December 28, 1917.
He was in the fourth grade. Carlyle was very good in school and his report card always had high marks on it.
His idea was to become a farmer. He dragged for his father and milked one cow and weighed the milk night and morning. Carlyle planned on having a nice garden this summer. He had already purchased his seed. He planned on going fishing this summer if he kept the weeds out of his garden. Carlyle always planned to have his work done first.
Clarence Wendell McFarren, born in Bath township December 15, 1913, was in the sixth grade.
He was a natural born mechanic and loved nature. He had to stay home from school a short tune before his death with a bad cold. While he had to stay in the house, he built what he called his tractor out of some spools and old clock springs. He had it arranged so that it would run on the floor.
Clarence is buried in the family lot at Laingsburg, Michigan.
Besides his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Wendell McFarren, he is survived by a brother, Arthur, who was in the school at the time but escaped by being only badly shaken up, and one sister, Cassie, age seventeen. She graduated this year, but was not in the school at the time of the disaster.
Cleo Claton, an eight year old in the second grade, lived with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gibbs, near Park lake. His mother died when he was about one year old.
Cleo was not hurt in the school blast, but was killed when Kehoe blew his car up in the street. A large bolt ripped his stomach open and his back and spine were hurt. He was conscious until the very end and lived about seven hours.
Burial was at Dimondale, Michigan.
Cecial Lorn Hunter was born in Dolphen, Manitoba, Canada, December 16, 1913. He was in the sixth grade.
Cecial was a great hand for horses and had planned to work out this summer so he would have money to buy lots of good clothes for this winter.
He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. George Hunter, two sisters and one brother.
Interment was at Laingsburg, Michigan.
Doris Elaine Johns was born in Bath, October 17, 1919.
She was in the third grade. Doris liked school and always got good marks. She was a very quiet, well-liked, little girl. Doris was planning to take lessons on the violin at the time of her death.
Her people live about one block from the schoolhouse and when her mother got there she found Doris hanging up by the legs and had a man get her down. She must have been killed instantly.
Burial was at Bath. Besides her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Johns, she leaves two small brothers, a sister, Pauline, and another who is younger.
Earl Edwin Ewing, eleven years old, was born in Climax, Michigan, where his father was a storekeeper at the time, later selling out and moving to Ovid, where Earl started school and went for one year. Then his parents moved to Bath where Earl went to school. He was in the sixth grade at the time of his death. He was always a good boy to work.
Elizabeth Jane Witchell, age ten, was born on the Enos Peacock farm east of Bath. She was in the fifth grade.
Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Witchell now of Lansing.
She is buried in the Rose cemetery in Bath township.
Elsie Mildred Robb was born in Kinmundy, Illinois, Decemnber 20, 1914.
She was in the sixth grade. Elsie always planned on going to college to prepare herself for a teacher. She had often spoken how she liked the Bath school and her teacher, Mrs. Harte. She attended Sunday School in Dewitt.
Elsie is survived by her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robb, four sisters and one brother.
She is buried in the Dewitt cemetery.
Floyd Edwin Burnett, aged eleven, was born on the Anna Hall farm, July 11, 1915.
He was in the sixth grade and his standings were always good. He was a great boy for baseball and it was said that he was one of the best players of his age in the school.
Floyd was a good boy to work at home. He already helped with the milking and other chores. Floyd is survived by his father, Mr. George Burnett, five sisters and three brothers.
He is buried in the Bath cemetery beside his mother, who died several years ago.
Francis Otto Hoppener, thirteen years of age, was born in Okemos, Ingham county. He was in the sixth grade.
He was a great boy for machinery and seemed like a natural born mechanic. He could fix nearly any of the tools that went wrong on the farm.
Besides his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Hoppener, he leaves a brother and a sister at home.
Interment was at Okemos, Michigan.
Gailand Lyle Harte, age twelve, was in the sixth grade.
He was very interested in farming and helped his father much by running the tractor and by helping milk the cows. He liked sheep and enjoyed looking after the little lambs. He liked to do things that called for the use of horses. Gailand was mechanically inclined and drove the car when his people were with him.
These children were both born in Muskegon, Michigan. Their folks moved to Bath about a year ago.
Lloyd's desire was to become a floriculturist. He spent much time practicing on his violin.
Vida Marie Zimmerman, who is shown in the picture, was a scholar of the Bath school, but was at home sick the day of the explosion.
Lloyd and Orval are buried at Mt. Rest cemetery at St. Johns, Michigan.
Glenn O. Smith was born in Bath township, May 18, 1894. He began his education in Bath school district number nine and later graduated from Bath High School. He went to Michigan State College for one year and he also went one year to the Ferris Institute. After finishing school, he worked in Detroit and Chicago.
He then returned to Bath and married Miss Ester McFarren. One child was born to them, Betty Marie, born February 27, 1921, and died December 28, 1924. This was a terrible shock to both of them.
They worked her father's farm in Bath township until 1920 when he was appointed postmaster.
Glenn was well liked and noted for his honesty. Because of his courage, he often put himself in danger to help other people. He worked faithfully in the wreckage trying to get children out until he became faint and realized that he would have to get some fresh air. He went out to the sidewalk and he was with his father-in-law, Nelson McFarren, and Mr. Huyck, the superintendent, when Kehoe blew his car up in the street.
Glenn's right leg was blown nearly off at the thigh and his left leg had a terrible cut above the ankle. He was still conscious when help reached him. As the men bound his leg with a belt furnished by some one in the crowd, he nformed them when it was tight enough. He must have been hurt internally. The ambulances began to arrive about that time and they rushed him to the hospital. He commenced sinking and he died about the time they reached the hospital.
He leaves besides his many friends a heart-broken wife, two brothers and two sisters. Interment was in Bath cemetery.
His father was a mechanic at the state garage at Lansing. Mr. Woodman promised Harold that next year he would buy him an old car and let him take it apart and then he would show him how to put it back together again.
He leaves his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Woodman, one brother, Wallace and one sister, about age three.
Burial was in the Bath cemetery.
Henry Bergan was born in Livingston county near Howell, Michigan. He was fourteen years old and in the sixth grade. He was a born horticulturist and he had a nice garden every year. It was hard for his father to get him to do other farm work. Henry thought a great deal of his school.
Herman Bergan, eleven years old, was in the fourth grade.
He worked with his brother in the garden, but was more his mother's boy, seeing that she always had wood and water in the house. When she fed the chickens he was always on hand so that she would not have to climb up in the corn crib. He told her that he was younger and could do it easier.
These boys left their broken-hearted father and mother, and one older brother. They are buried at Okemos, Michigan.
Iola Irene Hart, born June 19, 1914, was in the sixth grade. Her plans for the future was to become a nurse or music teacher. She was a fine pianist for a girl of her age. One time while making her childish plans, she said, "Mama, when I get my diploma, I'm going to pick beans." Iola was very affectionate and always kissed her mother good-bye. On her last morning when she kissed her mother she said, "Now, mama, don't worry if I don't come home at noon," and her mother said, "Why do you say that?" She said, "You know I have got to write tests this morning and I might faint away." She then went and picked a bouquet of lilacs and went on to school.
Interment was in the Rose cemetery, East Bath.
J. Emerson Medcoff was born, December 30, 1917, in Lansing, Michigan. His people moved to Bath about 1920.
He was in the fourth grade and was one of the youngest in his grade. Being very active in school he was advanced from kindergarten to the second grade.
He was fond of baseball and all outdoor sports. He spent much time trying to make something that he could get music from. He planned on being a musician or architect.
J. Emerson is buried in the Bath Cemetery.
Katherine Onalee Foote was born May 29, 1917, planned on going through school and becoming a teacher. If her plans had not been brought to an abrupt end by this terrible disaster, she would likely, have been through school very young, as she was in the sixth grade at the age of ten.
Interment was in Bath.
LaVere Robert Harte, born in Bath township, August 26, 1917, was in the fourth grade.
He liked to do most anything, but drawing was his main pastime. This spring he drew pictures and traded them to other children for marbles and playthings. He planned on drawing funnies or something when he grew up. He was always ready and looking forward to Sunday school.
He left besides his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. LaVere Harte, one little brother, Neal.
Interment was at Bath
Left to right, RUTH and OTTELIA NICKOLS
Emma Amelia Nickols, age thirteen, was in the sixth grade, Emma was killed.
Her sister, Ottelia, was eleven years old.
Ottelia had her face badly cut and burned and her thumb nearly cut off.
Another sister, Ruth, was eight years old.
Ruth had a badly fractured hip and she is just commencing to get around on it at this time.
Emma leaves besides her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nickols, these two injured sisters, another sister, and two brothers.
Interment was at Bath.
Lucile June Witchell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Witchell, was born in Ingham county, just south of the Mt. Hope cemetery, Lansing. She was nine years of age and in the fourth grade.
She was very brilliant in school and had no trouble in making her grades. She got A's on every report card. She learned music easily but never took to it. Lucile liked to go to school.
She is buried in the Rose cemetery in Bath township
Margory Fritz was born in the south edge of Clinton county in 1918. She attended the County Line School until 1926 and at that time her people came to Bath and bought a farm so that they could have better school conditions for their children. Margory was in the fourth grade and her teacher, Miss Weatherby, was killed at the same time.
Hazel Iva Weatherby, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Weatherby, was born September 20, 1906, met with tragic death, May 18, 1927, while on duty as teacher at Bath.
Hazel finished the grades at Weatherby school at an early date, and graduated with the class of 1924, at Lakeview High School. Her course in higher education was taken at Mt. Pleasant, receiving her life certificate in 1926.
In the fall following her graduation, she accepted a position to teach the third and fourth grades in Bath consolidated school, at which post of duty she met with her tragic death, May 18, 1927, lacking just one day of having completed a very successful year of teaching and had already signed a contract to fill the same position another year.
Hazel's one joy when not on duty was to be at home. Her thoughts were like this: It matters little, mother, where I am, or what the tasks my fingers find to do; new friends, new scenes, new thoughts though I may know, my heart turns, always, mother mine, to you.
When she was found in the wreckage, there was a child in each arm. She was taken to Howard City, the home of her parents.
Sunday, May 22, one hundred and fifty cars followed the sad cortege from the home to Amble church and cemetery, where interment was made on the family lot. The most beautiful blossoms of springtime were heaped upon her casket and covered the rooms at her home and at the church, sent by sympathetic friends from all points of the compass.
Reverend Lewis E. Price preached the funeral sermon and paid high tribute to the splendid young woman who had laid down her life clutching the children she loved so well, trying to protect them from harm.
Undertaker Bert E. Meier had charge of the arrangements. The Amble choir provided the funeral music.
NELSON McFARREN,
dead,
with his little granddaughter, Betty Smith
Nelson McFarren was killed with Glenn O. Smith, postmaster, and E. E. Huyck, the superintendent, when Kehoe called them to his car and blew it up.
Mr. McFarren was born in Washtenaw county, Michigan, May 25, 1852. He came to Bath with his father, John McFarren, at the age of fifteen and assisted his father in clearing up a homestead. On attaining his majority, however, he left home and started out in life for himself soon afterwards purchasing forty acres. After clearing and building, he purchased a second forty acres which he logged off and soon had under cultivation, one of the best farms in Bath township.
In March, 1883, occurred the marriage of Nelson McFarren and Miss Ada Saxton, a native of Oakland county, Michigan, and a daughter of J. B. Saxton, who was born in New York and came to this state at an early age, establishing his home in Clinton county.
In the family of Mr. and Mrs. McFarren there were born three children, Floyd who died in young manhood and Harry who has been a rural mail carrier out of Bath for thirteen years, except during the World War. He came back without getting wounded, except for being gassed. His daughter, Esther, was the wife of Glenn O. Smith.
Mr. McFarren retired from the farm and moved into Bath village about 1920 where he had resided until he was killed by Kehoe.
He leaves besides the two children, his wife, Mrs. Ada McFarren, and many friends. Burial was in Bath.
Pauline Mae Shirts was born in Midland county, May 19, 1916, where her father ran a filling station until March 10, 1927, when he moved on his farm in Bath township.
Pauline was a very friendly child and made friends with most everyone. Her ambition was to become a teacher. She was always playing school at home.
Burial was in the Bath cemetery.
Percy Eugene Hart, born February 24, 1916, was in the third grade. He was quite a little farmer and had a garden. Percy always liked to be around the horses. His people lived in Bath and he remarked several times that he was going to go out and work his father's farm.
Interment was in Rose cemetery in East Bath.
Percy is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hart, a sister, Elva, and a brother, Perry.
Ralph Albert Cushman was seven years old. He was in the third grade. Ralph was very good in school except in numbers. He wanted to stay in the second grade last year because one of his friends did not pass.
He loved to play baseball and was at it morning and night. He played that morning before going to school. The last thing he said was, "Goodbye mama, I'll be good." He was one of the last found in the ruins. He leaves to mourn him, his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cushman, and one sister, Josephine. Interment was in Bath cemetery.
Richard was a great boy for machinery and knew how to put tools together on the farm. He could run the tractor. His father had given him an acre of ground to put into beans this year.
A year ago he took all of his money out of the bank which amounted to about thirty-two dollars, and bought a Holstein calf from his father. He just completed arrangements for selling the heifer back to his father for one hundred dollars. He was very conservative and was planning how he would invest his money.
A girl in his room said that a radiator fell on him. His skull was crushed and he was killed instantly. He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Richardson, and two sisters, Virginia and Martha. Interment was in Bath cemetery.
Robert Bromund, born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was twelve years old.
He was in the fifth grade. Robert did not want to go to school. He would rather have quit this spring and worked on the farm.
Robert Cochran was born in Muskegon, Michigan, December 24, 1918. He was in the third grade. Bobby talked a great deal of being a doctor or a garage man, but his mother thinks he thought more of becoming a singer or a musician.
Being the only child, he leaves his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cochran, to mourn his death. Mr. Cochran was formerly in the garage business in Bath and after this tragedy, he sold out to his partner, Mr. Claude Porter, who still continues the business. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran have moved to Grand Rapids in order that they might get away from the scene of the terrible disaster.
Robert is buried in the Otisco cemetery, Belding, Michigan.
Russell Chapman was born October 1, 1918, in Delta township, Eaton county, Michigan.
At the time of his death he was in the fourth grade. He liked the Bath school and was a great lover of the farm. He already could harness the horses and he liked to drag for his father.
He was a very mischievous lad and always seemed to have a good time with everybody. Burial was in the Bath cemetery.
He is survived by his father and mother Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Chapman, and a younger brother, Earl W., who was in the school at the time, had his back hurt and one ankle crushed. Earl was in the hospital a short time. He is now home getting along very well, but he still walks on the side of his foot.
Stanley Horace Harte, age twelve years, was in the sixth grade. He was quiet and kept his own counsel. He was small for his age but could keep his end up in games and sports with children much larger than he.
He leaves besides his mother, Mrs. Maude Harte, three brothers and four sisters. He is buried in Bath beside his father, Horace Harte, who died when Stanley, was about five.
Emory E. Huyck, born in Butternut, Michigan, July 3, 1894, graduated from Carson City High School and went some to the Ferris Institute. After spending some time in the army during the World War, he entered the Michigan State College at East Lansing, January, 1919, taking Bachelor's degree and agriculture. Mr. Huyck graduated on June 21, 1922, taking a position as superintendent of the Bath Consolidated School the same summer. He held the job until he was killed, May 18, 1927, by Andrew Kehoe.
Thelma Irene McDonald, daughter of Reverend and Mrs. Scott McDonald, was born at Rogers City, August 22, 1919.
She started school at the age of five and was in the third grade. She liked school, and often cried to go when only three years old. Thelma told her father and mother many times that when she grew up she was going to be a teacher.
Besides her father and mother she leaves two younger sisters.
She is buried in Pope cemetery at Springport, Michigan
She liked to sew and made all her doll clothes. Vivian played the piano well but had planned on being a singer, as she said that playing the piano was too hard work.
She is buried in Rose cemetery in East Bath.
She is survived by her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hart, a sister, Elva, and a brother, Perry.
Willa Marie Hall was born February 19, 1916. She was a very industrious little girl and planned on going through school so as to become a teacher.
George Hall, Jr., was born October 17, 1918. He was very mischievous and never cared much about going to school. He liked excuses so he could stay out and play.
These children are survived by their father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. George Hall, and one younger brother.
They were laid to rest side by side in the Mt. Hope cemetery at Lansing, Michigan.
Beatrice Gibbs was born near Holt in Ingham county, May 17, 1917. She was in the fourth grade.
She lay at the point of death for four days. The fifth day X-ray pictures were taken. Both legs were broken in two places, the right leg was badly lacerated, the left arm was broken above the elbow, and the elbow was fractured. There was also a large gash in the back of her head. Casts could not be used on account of so many lacerations, so a frame was arranged over her bed by the physician as shown in the picture. Ropes and weights were used. At first they used thirty-five pounds of lead. As she improved the weights were lessened until she finally only had five pounds. When she came to after the explosion, she says there was a radiator hanging right over her but when Kehoe blew himself up in the street the radiator disappeared. She was ten feet in the debris.
After three months of intense suffering, Beatrice died in the St Lawrence hospital Monday night, August 22, following an operation for the removal of a splinter from her hip. This makes the forty-fifth victim of the Bath school tragedy.
She is survived by her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Gibbs, and a little brother who live near Park lake.
Interment was at Chesaning, Michigan.
There were victims who survived this horriffic madness.
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| Eva & Flyod Stebleton survived |
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| Survivor Dean Sweet SR at after 88 years |
List of the Injured
Babcock, Lloyd
Babcock, Vera
Babcock, Norris
Barnes, Ruth M.
Braska, Anna Chapman, Earl
Delau, Arthur
Delau, Ida
Detluff, Ida
Dolton, Adabelle
Echstruth, Iva
Echstruth, Raymond
Echstruth, Marian
England, Josephine
Foster, James
Frederick, Aletha
Fulton, Dorothy
Fritz, Mr. F. M.
Geisenhaver, Kenneth
Gutekunst, Miss Leona, teacher
Gubbins, Miss Eva, teacher
Hart, Elva
Hart, Perry
Hobert, Helen E.
Hobert, Ralph R.
Hollister, Carlton F.
Huffman, June Rose
Huffman, Donald J.
Hunter, Florence Edith
Komm, Helen
Komm, Florence
King, Lester
Matson, Miss Nina, teacher
McCoy, Pauline Mae
McCoy, Willis
McKenzie, Harold
Mast, Lee Henry
Medcoff, Thelma
Nickols, Ruth
Nickols, Ottelia
Perrone, Mrs. J.
Proctor, Earl Fred
Proctor, Ralph Edmund
Reasoner, Lee
Reed, Lillian M.
Riker, Oral
Richardson, Virginia Blanche
Richardson, Martha Harriette
Rounds, Jack
Sage, Norman
Seeley, Ivan Freemont
Stolls, Lester
Stebleton, Gail Edmund
Stivaviske, Steve
Sweet, Ava Thelma
Wilson, Ardis
Witchell, Kenneth
Zavistoski, Cecelia
She was cut on the back of her head, over one eye and also on her cheek and arm. Her ankles were sprained and her body was bruised. She says she was blown to the ceiling and came down square on her feet. She was writing a test when the blast came.
Ardis is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Wilson, a farmer of Bath township
His scalp and lips were cut, right ankle bone bruised, and he was cut on the forehead. Seven teeth were knocked out. He was in the hospital one week and two days.
Norman lives with his people at Park Lake, goes swimming every day and says he is ready to go back to school.
Some newspaper clippings:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46189340/andrew-kehoe/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46189241/andrew-kehoe/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46189114/andrew-kehoe/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46189054/andrew-kehoe/
Bath Today
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| Was on top of school building |
The Red Cross volunteers in Bath
Red Cross workers in charge of relief in the Bath school explosion. (Left to right, front row) Carrie Taylor, Executive Secretary, Oakland County Chapter; Mrs. Grace Clemons Leonhardt, Red Cross Nurse; Simeon Ewing, Treasurer of the Committee, whose son was killed; Albert Detluff, Secretary of Bath School Board; William Smith, Chairman Disaster Committee; Mrs. Leona Welton, Assistant Executive Secretary, Ingham County Chapter; Mrs. J. A. Crum of Bath, a nurse and wife of a local physician, whose home was Red Cross headquarters. (Back row) Eva Morgan, Executive Secretary, Jackson County Chapter; Mrs. John Owen, Chairman Ingham County Volunteer Committee; Miss Olive Whitlock, Clinton County Nurse; Mrs. L. A. Warner, of Bath; Senator George Hunter, of St. Johns; C.S. Clark, Chairman Clinton Chapter; Rev. Edwin Bishop, Chairman Ingham County Chapter; Charlotte Lockhart, Lansing Social Service Bureau, Director of Case Work; Elba L. Morse, R.N., Nursing Field Representative in Michigan.
We feel very grateful to the many people who have contributed so freely both financially and sympathetically.
An example of fullest cooperation at Bath, Mich., schoolhouse wreck (taken out of the August 15, 1927, number of the Red Cross Courier.)
The relief situation at Bath, Mich., created bv a maniac's act of blowing up a school full of children, is being handled with efficiency by the Chapter in the county of Ingham and adjoining counties. The Rev. Edwin W. Bishop, of Lansing, Chairman of Ingham County Chapter, in his report gives a clear picture of the distressing event. The Case Committee mentioned in this report included William Smith, an attorney of St. Johns, formerly a resident of Bath; Mrs. L. A. Warner, of Bath; Chairman Bishop S. E. Ewing, supervisor of Bath township; State Senator George Hunter, of St Johns, supervisor of Clinton county; Albert Detluff, secretary, Bath school Board, who acted as adviser to the committee appointed by Governor Green; Charlotte W. Lockhart, of the Social Service Bureau, Lansing; Elba L. Morse, nursing field representative, American Red Cross; Lucile Fulk, Executive Secretary, Ingham County Chapter.
"Upon request," writes the Rev. Mr. Bishop, "I have prepared an outline report of the history of what will probably be known as the Bath disaster. In accepting this appointment I have only acted as the mouthpiece of all the agencies which had been busy in extending relief. With the exception of the trained workers, we were all civilians engaged in our own particular work or professions. I think I am safe in saying that not one of us had been face to face with such a disaster as this where we had certain duties to perform. We were, therefore, unprepared in disaster technique, but we were willing to learn; we had the advice of trained executives, and we tried to do our duty as we saw it day by day. If there has been remissness anywhere it has been due to lack of knowledge and experience rather than to wilful intention.
"When the news of the disaster came to St. Johns and Lansing the organizations of the Red Cross begin to function according to schedule. A meeting of the boards was thought of earlier, but there were two very good reasons for not holding it. Our trained workers have been too busy in the work of relief to have been spared for a board meeting, and it seemed wise that the executives themselves should not be interrupted in the work that fell to them. Now that the pressure for immediate relief work is over, we have called all the directors of both boards together that they might be the first to be acquainted with what has alreadv been undertaken and accomplished and that their advice might be given on further procedure."
"A tribute to the splendid cooperation which has been extended by the individual citizens of Bath, by all the couuty and state authorities, and bv the social service agencies in our own counties and nearby cities is more than due. One of our visiting trained workers has stated that she has never witnessed cooperating agencies work together any more smoothly than in this disaster. We are indeed glad that this has been so. Our memories will be cheered with the thought of the successful team work."
Newspaper clipping:
With any crime there is a victim and the person who committed the crime But sometimes there just aren't any answers, It just is.
I hope people can forgive more, it's better for their souls, not the bad guys.
My mother worked for the Red for many years, a wonderful organization.
92 years later:
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