Pvt. Edward C. Reatl (Reatt, Real)

Pvt. Edward C. Reatl (Reatt, Real)

G Co. 46th Ill. Vol. Inf.

   Mustered In Sept. 15, 1862
   Listed home of record as Freeport, Ill's.
   Mustered Out Aug. 9, 1865.

Post war;
   Moved to Elgin.
   Joined GAR Veteran's Post #49 July 5, 1887.
   Widower.

   Obit; March 14, 1890 issue of The Elgin Daily News.
   The shocking accident to Edward Real, chronicled in yesterday's Daily News, occurring shortly after 4 o'clock, was followed by his death at 5 o'clock this morning.  He lingered unconscious to the end.  A.L. Pendergst and George W. Fowler remained with him through the night.
   A reporter from the Daily News visited the scene of the accident this morning.  The audience room of the First Baptist church is in a state of confusion.  Pews are piled up in the center, scaffolding was stretched across the west side, and a raised floor has been laid.  Painters and carpenters were busy.  From them was gleaned the following.
   Among the men at work yesterday were John Potter, Horace Stanley, and Geo. W. Fowler.  Real was upon the top of the scaffolding, and Stanley, from a position in the gallery, had just handed up to him a plank.  Stanley turned to walk away and the next instant a shriek was heard.  Potter seems to have been the only witness to the fall.  He saw Real as the latter had nearly struck the floor.  He was falling with his head inclined--but scarcely "had first".  He struck the floor with his right shoulder.  The upper floor is crushed at this place.  There is a difference of opinion as to whether a six inch board that fell with Real broke the floor or whether is was his shoulder.  The workmen think it was the latter.  There was nothing in the way to retard the fall.  The distance is fully twenty-five feet.  Real lay motionless and insensible.
   One of the men rushed to Church's house where Pendergast, for whom Real had worked a score of years, was engaged.  The next thing was to get an express wagon, and Grippen was quickly found.  Dr. H. L. Pratt was notified and attended the victim before leaving the church.  Dr. Tapper was also summoned and went to the house.  A daughter, Mamie, a girl of 17, who is the housekeeper, Mrs. Real having died a few years ago.  Perhaps it was fifteen minutes after the accident ere the injured man's home was reached.  The scene of grief presented was heart-rending.  Besides the daughter there are left three boys, the youngest about 6 years old.
   The doctors first examination disclosed, in addition to dislocation of the neck, a rib on the right side fractured, the right collar bone dislocated from the breast bone and also from the shoulder blade.  The left side was completely paralyzed, but the sufferer could move his right arm a trifle.  It appeared that there was concussion of the brain.  There were bruises on the back of the head and other places.
   "He most have stepped off the plank," said one of his fellow-workmen.  "He had been taking down scaffolding on the other side and in the center of the church, used by the painters in decorating.  He was in mush more dangerous places than that from which he fell.  He was cool. although naturally a nervous man.  Why, he was considered the best climber in Elgin.  He it was that repaired and painted the church steeple awhile ago.  I believe he used to be a sailor.  He would go into many places where I wouldn't risk myself."
   Drs. Pratt, Tapper, and Tefft held an autopsy this forenoon.  The found a complete dislocation of the spine at the juncture of the second and third cervical vertebrae; fracture of the third to seventh (inclusive) dorsal vertebrae, with complete fracture of the bodies of the vertebrae, extending into the spinal cord of the second and seventh; fracture of the fifth, sixth, and seventh right ribs, near the spinal; complete dislocation of the right collar bone.
   Real was 47 years old.  An inquest will be held tomorrow.  The funeral will occur Sunday.

   Notice; March 15, 1890 issue of Elgin's Every Saturday.
   Edward Real fell from a scaffolding while painting the inside of the First Baptist church on Thursday and broke his neck.  He was taken up unconscious.  He was a widower and about 40 years old.

   Notice; Aug. 2, 1890 issue of Elgin's Every Saturday.
   The G.A.R. has succeeded in finding homes in the Soldier's Orphans home at Bloomington, for the two youngest children of Edward Reatl, the man who was killed by falling from the scaffolding of the First Baptist church, awhile ago.

   Buried at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Ill.

Used with permission Dan Mallett

Many members of Post #49 sewed watch faces to their ribbons to show they were from Elgin.