Obit: Clow, George Jr. #2 (1934? - 1951)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Clow

----Source: Loyal Tribune (Loyal, Clark Co., Wis.)   05/31/1951

Clow, George Jr. #2 (1934? - 26 MAY 1951)

George Clow, Jr., 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Clow, Sr., of the township of Beaver (Clark Co., Wis.), was killed accidently early Saturday evening at the Clow farm, located about 7 miles northwest of here on Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.)  R. 1.

The slain youth had been shot through the face and was taken to the Greenwood Clinic, where he died about a half hour later.  His brother, Jack Clow, 14, was graduated from the Maple Center School on Saturday morning and received a new .22 caliber single shot rifle as a present.  That evening, taking the gun along with him when he went after the cows, the boy cleaned the gun in his bedroom while his brother was showing him how to operate the weapon.

It was learned that George and Jack had been accustomed to "playing soldier."  Before supper they came downstairs into the living room where they were looking over the gun and experimenting with the weapon to see how far the ejector would throw the shell.

The youths had often pointed empty rifles at one another and pulled the trigger while "playing soldier," it was revealed.

After the older boy had shown his brother how the ejector worked, Jack said to his brother, who was still in a kneeling position on the living room floor, "Look here, George," and he pulled the trigger.

The youth didn’t remember when he had put the shell into the chamber of the rifle.  The slug entered the victim’s face to the right and below the nose, behind his left ear just beneath the skin.

After calling Dr. Olson at Greenwood and learning that he was not in, but would be sent when he could be reached, the parents rushed the injured boy to Greenwood.  On the way, they met Dr. Olson, who was on his way to the Clow home.  Together they took the injured boy to the clinic where he died shortly afterward.

The Clows, who are former residents of Chicago, had bought the E. Schoettler farm and had been living there for about the past three years.  The slain youth had been a sophomore at the Loyal High School during the school term ending last week here.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Schiller Funeral Home in Greenwood, after which the body was sent to Chicago, where services will be held Thursday afternoon.  Burial will be made in the Wood Lawn Cemetery in Chicago.