----Source: GREENWOOD GLEANER (Greenwood, Wis.) 09/23/1909, The Tacoma Times, Tacoma, Washington, 25 Apr 1910

Bortle, Charles A. (1883? - 11 Sep 1909)

Through the courtesy of Smith H. Miller, son of Charles Miller, for many years a resident of this city, we are in receipt of a clipping from the Tacoma Daily Ledger of Sept. 13th, containing a detail account of the tragic death of Charles A. Bortle, who was killed by a witch engine at that city in the Northern Pacific round house, on Saturday evening, Sept. 11, 1909.

Mr. Bortle was a son of Lafayette Bortle, who moved west from Greenwood, Clark County, Wis. about eight years ago, and who will be remembered here. He was 26 years of age and his death was doubly sad to his parents, as only two weeks before they were grief stricken over the death of their 19-year-old son, Victor E. Bortle, who died of organic heart trouble. Another to whom this death was a sad shock was Mrs. Ethel Reinkins, who prepared her wedding trousseau and left Pullman, Wash. for Tacoma the day after the tragic death, expecting to be happily married to the deceased, who was affianced husband, the following week, and little dreaming of the sad fate that had overtaken him.

Another pathetic incident with the death of Charles Bortle says the Tacoma Ledger, was learned from the bereaved parents Sunday. The father was busy closing up his work for the day at the Grand Union Tea Company’s store Saturday when the ambulance of the Pacific Transfer Company containing the corpse of his son halted at Hoska’s parlors. Never dreaming that the wagon contained the body of his own child, Mr. Bortle hurriedly dismissed the thought of the sorrow that was in somebody’s home and continued at his work. Through his mind was running the memory of two weeks ago when his son Victor had passed away.  It was then 9:30 o’clock and an hour later Mr. Bortle got home. A few minutes later a messenger came with the sad news that Charles had been killed and that his body was at Hoska’s parlors. The grief of the aged parents seemed unbearable.

Hurry to the death chamber, Mr. Bortle advance to where his son lay cold in death and stood in silent grief as tears bedimmed his eyes. Within the short space of two weeks two of his sons had been snatched from him by death.

The family has the sympathy of their many friends in Greenwood.

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Obit: Bartle / Bortle, Charles Adelbert (3 Jan 1883-11 Sep 1909)

Charles Adelbert Bortle was born in Wisconsin
DEATH: Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, USA
BURIAL: Tacoma Cemetery, Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, USA