A SAD TRAGEDY.
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California paper tells of Bernard Street's fatal accident.
A copy of the Huntington Park (Calif.) Signal for October 11 containing the following account of the tragic death met by Bernard Street, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Street, has been received by The News:
One of the saddest tragedies to ever cast a shadow over Huntington Park occurred last Sunday morning when the lifeless body of Bernard Street, principal of the Huntington Park grammar schools, was found in the river bottom east of Bell.
Mr. Street had gone hunting late Saturday afternoon and had not returned home when dark came. Mrs. Street grew more uneasy as the hours dragged along, and finally reported his failure to return to some of the neighbors.
A searching party was organized Saturday night and the entire river bottom gone over, but the searchers failed to find him. His bicycle was located where he had left it on entering the field to hunt, but no further trace of him could be found.
Early Sunday morning another search was started and about 6:00 o'clock his lifeless body was found near a wire fence with a hole in his breast. From all appearances he had climbed the fence and his clothing became entangled in the barbs. He had evidently endeavored to get his clothing disengaged, and in doing so, had dropped the shotgun, which was discharged and the entire load entered his breast.
The news of his sudden ending spread over the entire community. While Mr. Street had only been here a little over a year, he had become known to practically every home in the city. Being the head of the grammar schools, he was known through the students if in no other way and practically every home felt a personal loss in his tragic death.
Bernard Street was born in Iowa 34 years ago. When he was yet a young lad he moved with his parents to Minn. Early in his young manhood he entered Carleton College, Northfield, Minn. From this institution he graduated in the same class with Miss Ella Richardson whom he married in 1907. They attended college together. They taught together in the same school. They seized life's responsibilities and launched their interests together as husband and wife with hope and promise and traveled together 11 years in the highway of human service.
To them were born four children—three boys and one girl. He came to Huntington Park at the call of our board of trustees of the public schools at the opening of the school year in the fall of 1917. He has brought our schools to that high standard of efficiency second to none in this great county of Los Angeles. Nearline his demise came suddenly and tragically Saturday afternoon, October 5, 1918. He leaves to mourn his growing his widow and four fatherless children, also his father and mother, four brothers and three sisters, none of whom are able to attend the funeral.
The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at the funeral parlors of the Huntington Park undertaking company, attended by many of the schoolchildren and a large number of our citizens. The floral offerings formed a regular Bower in the room and represented the love and esteem in which he was held by the children and other people.
Reverend Hugh C Gibson, pastor of the Methodist Church, conducted the service, the burial taking place at Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles.
The entire community extends the deepest sympathy to the heartbroken wife and the little fatherless children.
October 5. I received a telegram from my sister Ella in Huntington Beach, asking me to come to her as Bernard had been accidentally killed. I phoned the Officer of the Day at Mare Island and asked for permission to extend my absence. He said he had no authority to grant an extension, and advised me when I reached southern California to go to Navy headquarters and ascertain whether my leave had been approved.
I caught the night train to Los Angeles, where I was met by Gail Patterson, a cousin of my mother. Bernard had been out hunting and when he was going through a fence, apparently tripped the trigger.
Ella and Bernard had four children – Harold, Helen, Donald, and Bernard, and she was about six months pregnant (with Mary Kay). My father and mother telegraphed to her inviting her to bring her family to live with them, and she immediately made plans to do so.
The funeral was held on October 8, and on that same day I received a telegram from Mare Island ordering me to return at once. Accordingly, I took the train back home, had a chance to see Jessie for a short time, went to Mare Island, obtained a longer leave of absence, and took the train back to Los Angeles on October 10.
I helped Ella with the packing and the local merchants were very friendly and agreed to dispose of the household goods. Another of Mother’s cousins, Gertrude Mount, was most helpful during this period. She took care of the children like a mother, and acted as sister, doctor, minister, to Ella. Without her heaven-sent assistance, Ella could never have survived.
We boarded the train for Oakland at 7:30 p.m. October 12. Ella almost collapsed, and I insisted that she get into her berth and that I would attend to the children. I took them to the dining car and left them. They managed very well by themselves [Harold was 10, Helen 8, Donald 6, and Bernard 4].
We reached Oakland at 1:40 p.m. after a very hot, terrible trip. Sydney Watson [yet another cousin] and her mother took us all in and cared for us, I don’t know how; but it was done. And on the following day, October 14, we boarded the train at 11 o’clock, on our way to Sutherlin, where we arrived at 2 p.m. October 15. Some friends of Father and Mother with automobiles met us and took us out to our parents’ home. Dear old Mother – she had everything planned, arrangements made, and with no confusion.
On October 15, I took the train back to Mare Island, arriving October 18. During this period the flu had been very serious and I was required to go into quarantine at Mare Island. We were all wearing flu masks. I obtained permission to go to Oakland to get my clothing, and this gave me a chance to reach Jessie for a short time.
November 11, 1918. Armistice was signed and peace descended on the world.
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