Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-07-28

Hovs H, Nevln cenub uetalleo StAtement OF
The Accident which COST Mark stoddsrd his
Idss.
SAN JUAN HoT SPRINGS, [
July 28, 1881. :
~. n. Stoddard, Esq. Los An
estss: ea
NY DuAn SrR:-All here feel
very deeply for you In the sad trial
you have met, in the death of your
son. Being as we'll, and, perhaps,
batter acquainted with all the fscts
Of the case than any one else, I
have Thought you might like to
know as fully as possible about
them. and therefore write you this
note In oanap. ..----------
Mark and Willie Wickersham
started up the csi,n to catch fish.
he carried his revolver aud sheath
kpife In his belt. They nad gone
about two miles from camp, when
Mark sent Willie . few steps above
him TO drive the fish from q pool
down to = crossing of boulders.
Hero be evidently kneeled down so
as to use his hands. and in this act
his revolver fell from the holster,
and. striking on rock, exploded
cartridge, the ball striking him In
tho bowels, on the right side, at a
point between and at tho tips of the
last two ribs. It must have rang ed
almost straight through the body
and lodged In the muscles of the
back. He jumped up, picked up
his revolver. and said to Willie:
"Let rs go back.u Willie went to
him and elped him over the ford,
6 feet wide, and along the bank
shout IL feet. As they went along
his foot caught In a trailing grape
vine and, perhaps, helped to make
him fall down. He said 10 Willie:
AWAIT . minute" and doubtless
1atnte6s Willie pulled him perhaps
two. feet up the bank so that
his head leaned up against
It. Seeing his pale face
and closed eyes Willie thought
him dead. The little fellow had
courage and presence OF mind
enough to pick up the pistol and
take or Marks belt and start back
to camp % fast rs he could. He
went to Marks box and put the
things In and then some one see
ing him looking strangely asked
hiR what was the matter. He
then said that Mark had got shot
In the bowels and was dead, We
then hitohed up our spring wagon
and started Immediately to bring
the body back. We could only 20
ono mile with the wagon. We
then took board and followed the
rough trail one mile further until
We found him. AS we came near
the place we heard him halloo.
answered and we pressed on as fast
- possible, Willie leading. When
We came opposite where he was
lying be called out "Here L am"
He had come to after Willie had
: left, and had picked up the pistol
holster (which was left under him,
no doubt, when Willie pulled his
belt OF, and the knife which had
also fallen out OF the scabbard at
that place (unlsss he had at first
put both knife and pistof into the
pissoi holstet) aud IL into the hoIs.
ter, and then climbed up the bank
(about six feet high) and started
back on the trail. He had Travelled
about thirty yards when his burn.
ing thirst led him to try and reach
the water. He had only got about
Cen feet from the path after de-
eoending bank aholt five feet
high-lhe water being still about
ten feet away from HIM. Here we
found him lying on some large
bouldera among the weeds aud
grass. He called for "water,
scaEer."
We took my sons hat and carried
him water. I said: mark, you
have hnrt yourself. How did i,
happen?" He said, "I dou't
know.n "Did the pistol fall out OF
the holster2" asked. He said,
s'yes.n We then laid him on the
board and started back. Our com.
pany consisted of Rev. L. j. Q.
Webster, of Santa Anal Hender
son Finley, OF Eanta Ana; Mr.. J.
n. Farrar, of Gospel Swamp; my.
esif and my son, Loman Nevin.
We 6rst sent young Finley back to
camp to have some one go and dit-
patch for q surgeon and Tor you.
This left Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Farrar
and myself to carry Mark and my
son to keep him from falling off the
board. Only two Of us could carry
at . time, az the trail was too mar.
row TO admit of any other method
We had to give him water at In
tervaIs; his thirst was fearful. He
suffered intensely from nauses and
vomited frequently aud violently
The trail soon left the stream, And
We sent Willie down to Mr.. Robert.
sons bee ranch to get water and a
pillow. He came back with theiI
help, and 80 much comfort was
given to the poor sufferer. Wher
W reached the wagon at the bee
ranch we put him 10, with plenty
Of straw and quilt under him
We drove as slowly as possible, bu
frequently obeyed- his request
"Rsst awhile, please" He thought
he would feel better when he go
back into his bunk. But his su fer.
Ing was great and our stops fire.
quent before we got there. Al
soon as we got him into hi,
bed he said: "Take Off my wei
shoes, please.r We did so,
and such of his wet clothing
- We could. DR.. Elmendraf "a
dentist OF Santa Anal nursed him
wslI-glving him water and keep
ing the wound bathed with colo
water. He only spoke for water
and once or twice incoherently
about the fish. There was no ex.
ternal hemorrhage excepting d
little at the last. We got bach
with him at 4:80 p. M. He died al
6P. M. The ladies In cam o and
others did all that could be done
for his comfort. He complained
little, but at the last could not lie