Appendix 2: Newspaper Account of the Death of Elisha Bushnell

The following excerpts were taken from the Malvern Leader on 2 September 1915.

"E. W. Bushnell Drops Dead. Mills County's Most Popular Sheriff Expires Suddenly Tuesday Morning at Glenwood.

"The entire County was shocked Tuesday forenoon when the word went out that "Buck" Bushnell had dropped dead while at the new jail building in Glenwood. Mr. Bushnell had spent Monday afternoon and evening in Malvern and seemed to be feeling unusually well. He put in the time visiting around among his friends until train time, and they could hardly believe the news of his sudden death could be true. On Tuesday morning he was in fine spirits and went over to the new jail building where he climbed onto the scaffolding about ten feet high, and spent some time discussing plans with the contractor who is doing the work on the building. Suddenly, without the least warning, Mr. Bushnell just seemed to crumple up and slid from the scaffolding to the ground. Dr. Agan was not far away and he with others near ran to the assistance of the stricken man. Dr. Donelon, the coroner, was summoned, and it was decided that some heart lesion was the cause of death."

A monument was built on the Iowa Statehouse grounds with $27,000 in private contributions honoring Iowa police officers who died in line of duty since 1902. It is called the "Iowa Peace Officer Memorial" and was dedicated by Governor Terry Branstad in May 1985. Elisha W. Bushnell of Mills County is one of 46 peace officers listed on the monument at the time of the dedication.

In May 2005 his name was added to the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial in Washington, D.C., during National Police Week. At the time he was the first to be listed on the wall from Mills Co., Iowa.