The Shasta courier., 1864-11-12
Sad Accident.

Mr. Stsphen Galbraitb, for many years :
resident u IIorsetown, in this county, on
Monday last was lOading his gun for the
purpose Of going o.t to shoot some quail,
when one barrel was accidentally discharged
into his head, killing him instantly. The
particulars will b. found in the testimony
taken on the inquest, held before Justice
Taylor, on the day of the accident.
Mr.. GalbFaith was very generally known
in the county. and for = leng time was en-
ployed by the Clear Greek Ditch Company as
one Of its superintendents, and had many
warm friends. The sad misfortune which
deprived him of life widowed an affectionate
wife and orphaned three young children
On Wednesday the mortal remains Of deceas-
ed was borne to the grave in the Odd Fellows
burying ground at Shasta, and were followed
by very large concourse of friends and ac-
quaintances:
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
County Of Shasta,
Township No. s.
At an inquest held before me. a Justica. of
the Peace in and for said county, over the
body of Stephen Galbraith, on the 7th day Of
November, 1864, the following iurymen were
summoned to inquire into the cause of his
death: F. Kittridge, E. voluntinet. Jere-
miah Lynch, Barney Conroy. II. F.Burr,
and Daniel Caughlin. The Jury being
sworn
Daniel Caughlin testified that he was about
fifty OF sixty yards from where the body was
found, and saw deceased about FIVE minutes
before the body was found. Heard two
rep0rts-one the, natural sound of a shot gun
and the other lighter sound. and immedi-
ately heard the cry of the children and wife
of deceased, and ran to the spot and found
deceased dead, his brains blown out and his
clothing on fire. The body was not moved
from the position in which it was found until
DR.. Pelham arrived.
DR.. J. Z. Pelham being sworn, testified !:
/ am practicing physician and a resident of
Shasta. was in Horsetown this morning
about half past 8 ioclock, A. N. While at
Spencer's Hotel was informed that Stephen
Galbraith had shot himself. ! Immediately
repaired to the spot and found him in the
immediate vicinity of his residence, on the
outside of the corral fence belonging to his
harm, lying at full length upon his back. with
his head towards the fence, entirely dead, the
whole top of his head being blown of, and
his brains lying on his right side, about four
feet distant frcm his body, shot gun on his
left side and the ramrod on his right, and the
remnants of powder flask on his right,
which had evidently been exploded.
found a wound on his lcSt temple evidently
made by the discharge Of a large bored gun
in such close proximity that all of its con.
tents. whether powder, shot, ball or wad-
wing, would enter the wound. That wound
was the cause of his death. examined the
shot gun and found one barrel discharged
and the other one so nearly loaded that the
wad covering the shot had been rammed down
about four inches. ] came to the conclusion
that Mr.. Galhraith came to his death by the
accidental discharge of one barrel OF his dou-
BILE barrel shot gun, while in the act of load.
ing the other barrel, and that he fell almost
Immediately in his tracks. There was evi.
dence of blood, brains and shot in the bushes,
which led to the conclusion that he was in a
standing position at the time of the discharge
of the gun, Immediately where he fell, and
that the gun, at the time of its discharge, was
resting with the breech on the ground, and
the muzzle pointing in the direction Of his
head. | saw no other appearance Of injury
to the body. except that his clothing had been
on fire and apparently put out with water.
Jeremiah Lynch testified: was sitting
with Mr.. Ja.es Daily outside of his house.
heard Mrs. Gaibrairh scream back of her
house, and Immediately went to ascertain
what was the matter. She told us that Ste
phen Galhraith had shot himself back of his
stable. l then repaired to the place desig-
mated and found Mr.. Galbraith lying at full
length on the ground upon his back, and
quite dead. ! found the clothing of deceased
on fire brought some water and put it out;
and in all other respects l corroborate the
testimony of DR.. Pelham.
The following is the .erdict of the jury:
We, the undersigned jurors, summoned for
the purpose ofinquiring into the cause of the
death of Stephen Galbraith, after hearing the
foregoing testimony and seeing the body. do
find that he came TO his death by the acci-
dental discharge of his gun while in his
own hands,
F. KITTRIDGE. iii. F. BURR,
JEREMIAH LYNCH, E. VOLUNTINE.
BARNEY CONEOY, D. LAUGILIN.
Horsetown, Nov. 7th, 1864.
E. B. TAYLOR,