The home of Mr. and Mrs. John Boegel, a farmer residing about a mile and a half east of St. Kilian, was thrown into extreme sorrow, last Sunday night, December 7th, 1924, when their sixteen-year-old son Rudolph was almost instantly killed, while out hunting skunks in company with his brother Clarence, aged 19, Leonard Schmitt, aged 16, and Peter Dieringer, aged 15. The latter three are neighbors of the deceased. The accident happened at about 11 o'clock Sunday night, in the old M.E. church located on County Trunk F in the town of Ashford, the church has been deserted for about twenty years and is falling into ruin. The four boys had torn up a section of the floor of the church when the dog which accompanied them ran across the gun which had been laid on the floor, and knocked it into the hole. It was discharged by the fall, according to the story given out by the boys, and the full charge entered Rudolph's body just below the heart, and took an upward course toward his right shoulder, inflicting a wound about an inch in diameter and about seven inches long, killing him almost instantly. Just how the gun could be discharged from the fall will probably remain a mystery, as the boys stated when questioned by Coroner Joseph E. Murray of Fond du Lac, who arrived on the scene at about 12:30 a.m. that the hammer had not been cocked.
Besides his grief stricken parents, deceased leaves to mourn his sudden and untimely death, two brothers Clarence and Roman, and one sister Leona, all at home.
Rudolph, who was born on March 31, 1909, was well liked by his companions, among whom he was a leader. He was a bright and faithful young lad and very active. His tragic death came as a great shock to his many friends, who join in extending heartfelt sympathy to the surviving relatives in this their hour of deep affliction. The funeral was held on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock with services in the St. Kilian Catholic church. Rev. J. B. Reichel officiated. Interment was made in the adjoining cemetery.
The pall bearers were: Reinhold Ottmar and Raymond Bonlender, Roman Kuehl, Arnold and Roman Boegel. Many relatives from Milwaukee, New Fane, Kewaskum, Theresa, LeRoy, Lomira, Ashford and Campbellsport attended the funeral."
NOTE: Under Pallbearers "Roman Kuehl" should be "Romand Kuehl". He would later marry Rudolph's sister, Leona.News clippings were passed on to me by my mother-in-law, Dolores Cayemberg nee Kuehl. It is unknown, which newspaper the clipping was from, but it is most likely from a newspaper in Brown or Fond du Lac county. The clippings were collected by her mother Leona Kuehl nee Boegel.)
