It becomes our duty to chronicle this week the particulars attending the sudden death of Mr. Charles Leffingwell, which took place on Monday last. The circumstances unite to make up one of those heart rending fatalities which plunge a community into grief, desolate a home, and cast a pall of sorrow over the lives of stricken friends.
On Monday afternoon, Mr. Leffingwell, in company with Messrs. A. H. Fields and Henry Hasenack, of Lyons, were chicken hunting on the farm of Job Eldridge, Esq., about four miles south of this place and about six o'clock a messenger brought news of the accident above noted. From the evidence taken before the coroner's jury, published below, it seems that Mr. L. was about to pull the ramrod from his gun to correct his dog, when the gun went off, instantly killing him. The body was brought to town and after the inquest, was taken to the family residence. The father of the deceased, Judge Lefllngwell, was summoned by telegraph, and arrived Tuesday noon; also the mother and a brother, W. B. Leffingwell; Mrs. Dr. Westbrook and C. H. Westbrook, mother and brother of the bereaved widow. The remains were taken to Lyons, on Wednesday for interment where the deceased spent much of his early life, and where he was widely known.
Mr. Leffingwell was 29 years of age at the time of his death and had lived in Wyoming about 3 years. He was proprietor of an extensive livery establishment here and was highly regarded as a citizen and in social circles. The hand of death, grasping its victim so suddenly and terribly, has cast a gloom over the entire community, but while friends mourn the loss of a friend, their sorrow is light compared with that of the young wife, from whom has been snatched the companion of her love and the endeared father of her orphan children, three in number.
Neither the tender sympathy of friends and neighbors, tenderly manifested in the hour of trial and bereavement, not any words from us, can allay or soothe the broken hearts, but we deem it a privilege to attest to the worth in which the deceased was held by our citizens generally. We will only add that while, perhaps, no carelessness is shown in this case, to many such sad affairs do come by the reckless handling of fire-arms. We trust a long time will elapse before our columns will furnish so striking a reminder of the uncertainty of human life, brought so near our hearts by our associations with him who was the victim of the fell stroke.

The Death of Chas. Leffingwell
Resolutions of Respect from the
Wyoming Silver Cornet Band.

Whereas: It has pleased our all merciful Father, in his inscrutable wisdom, to call from among us, our esteemed and honored associate and member Chas. H. Leffingwell. Cut down without warning—we stand appalled at the sudden calamity that has befallen us.
It is our mournful duly to offer our hearty sympathy to his family and friends in the irreparable loss they have sustained.
Resolved. That we the members of the W. S. C. Band, hold in grateful remembrance the many and valuable services of our late member and associate.
Resolved. That in his untimely death, we mourn not only an efficient and valuable member, but a genial and kindly friend and associate whose nature has endeared him to all.
Resolved. That we offer to his bereaved family our deep and heartfelt sympathy in the hard trials they have been called upon by Divine Providence to undergo, and humbly commend them to Him who, in his inscrutable wisdom, has visited upon them this deep affliction
Resolved. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family of deceased and also published in the Wyoming Journal.
Rock L. Bedell, A. R. Hoskins, M. H. Lowell, J. C. Nichols,
F. H. Foote, W. E. Hurd,, L. W. Norton, Hiram Arnold,
W. H. Tourtellott, B. S. Brainard, Jno. E. Rule, L. Atkinson.

Submitted by: Richard Harrison
Source: The Wyoming Journal, Wyoming, Iowa, August 24, 1876, page 3
Note: The date printed in the newspaper is "Thursday, August 25, 1876," but in 1876 August 24th was on a Thursday.
Note: Charles served in Company B, 1st Iowa Cavalry in the Civil War. His father was a Captain of this company.