The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-03
Accidental Shooting Of a,.Young Lady
by a Friend.

Another sad tragedy was, yesterday, ad.
ded to the long list Of terrible events that
have occurred in the Bunker Hill District
during the past few months. About noon,
1t was reported that Miss Belle Whittier
living at No. 0 Linwood place, had been
shot and instantly killed by pistol in the
hands of lady boarding in the same house.
An lndescribabe degree of excitement fol-
lowed the report, and vast number Of the
curious and the anxious crowded around
the house in which it was stated that the
tragedy took place. The report proved
true, Miss Whittier having received her
death wound from Il bullet accidentally
fired By the hand of her friend, Mrs. Thorn
IS Banford. The sad affair took place
about IL o'clock. Miss Whittier and her
sister was standing in the dining-room
when Mrs. Banford, who stepped softly
into the room with the pistol, which she
did not know was loaded, cooked the
weapon close behind the ear of Miss Whit
tier, and with the intention of giving her
bit of momentary fright, pulled the trig-
ger. The bullet penetrated the brain of
the victim, and she fell dead without a
word.
| HISTORY OF THE AFFAIR,-How THE PISTOL
HAPPENED TO BE LoADED-THE TERRI
BILE RESULT OF PLAYING WITH FIREARMS
The weapon used was an old, single.
barrelled affair, that had been lying about
the house, unloaded, for many months,
and had been regarded more as harmless
toy than as a weapon capable of doing any
injury. The young ladies of the family
had often amused themselves by pointing
the muzzle at each other and swapping the
hammer, but not until yesterday was it
ever known to be loaded. Some days ago,
a young lady, friend of the Whittier fam
| lily, was followed, in the street, by a man,
who seized her arm with the evident pur-
pose of robblng her of valuable diamond
ring which she wore on her finger. AL
though the assalant was defeated in his OBJ
ject, the young lady's experience made such
an impression on the minds of Miss Whit
tier and her sister, that one of the latter,
Miss Martha Whittier, aged about seven
teen years, Immediately suggested the pro-
priety of preparing for such an affair by
loading the old pistol and having it ready
for use. Yesterday morning, Miss Martha
found somewhere about the house cart
ridge, which fitted the barrel of the pistol
Although unused to firearms, she was sue
cessful in her effort to load the weapon.
| She then placed it on a shelf in the pantry,
| intending to remove it to some other part
of the house as soon as she completed some
household duties, at which she was at the
moment engaged.
| THE EFFORT AT PLEAsANTRY-THE BULLET
DOES ITS FATAL WORK.
While the pistol lay on the shelf, Mrs
Banford passed through the pantry from
the front hall into the dining room. AL
though very timid lady and especially
afraid of firearms, Mrs. Banford had be-
come so accustomed TO seeing the pistol
used in playful way that she unhesilat-
ingly took it from the shelf. She passed
noiselessly into the room, where Miss Belle
and one of her sisters were, and the sad
result followed as recorded above. The
sister was partially stunned, for a moment,
by the report, and recovered consciousness
to find Miss Belle breathing her last in
the arms of Mrs. Banford. who caught her
as she fell.
| SAD sCENE-AN AFFIANCED LOVER ny
| THE SIDE "a pRIpE
Mrs Whittier, the widowed mother OIL
the deceased, the sister, Miss Martha the
two brothers and other members and friends
of the family were quickly summoned.
Several physicians were also called, but
only to find the poor girl already past all
human aid. Among the first to hasten to
the side of the dead girl was her lover, to
whom she was soon to be married. The
utmost grief and sympathy was manifested
on all sides. The deceased was known
among a wide circle of friends and acqain-
tances as kind, gentle, generous and
warm-hearted young lady. She was a
member of the Bunker Hill Literary As
ISOLATION, many of the members of which
will attend the funeral, to take place at
No. 9 Linwood place, tomorrow, at 9
o'clock p. m. The full name of the de-
ceased was Laura Isabel Whittier, and she
was eighteen years old. Mrs. Banford. as
soon as she realized the terrible effect of
her act, sank into condition bordering on
insanity, and it is feared that she may lose
her reason. Her husband and herself have
the sympathies of Mrs. Whittier and her
family, who, in the midst Of their deep sor-
row for the dead, are doing all in their
power to relieve the condition of the liv-
ing. Coroner Bradford was called, but
deemed an inquest unnecessary. Boston
Globe, Monday.