Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-29
SHOT BY HER PLAYMATE.
Little Sarah Louise Stannard Dying
from a Pistol Shot Wound Inflicted
by Samuel 5. BIackwoOd.
Nelo York World, eth.


Sarah Louise Stannard, aged ~ wears.
whose parents live at StapletOn, S. l., was
shot in the forehead at No. 165 East Sixty
sixth street and mOrtally wounded yester-
day by Samuel S. BlackwoOd, aged y
years. BlackwoOd's father is the janitOr
of the South Hamilton Flats. The little
girl and her younger sister had been stop
ping with his family about week.
They were to return to their home yester-
day. Samuel was to go with them on a
visit for few days, 1t was Mrs, Black
woods intention to accompany them to
the ferry. While she was dressing the
children were in the parlOr. Samuel had
small One-barreled pistol, which he
bought to kill birds and squirrels with on
the island. He suddenly drew it from his
pocket and levelled it at Sarah L. STAN
nard.
''YOu don't dare to shoot" the little girl
remarked, jOkingly.
The boy pulled the trigger, there was
sharp report, and the little girl fell on the
floor bleeding from a small wound in her
forehead. When Mrs. Blackwood came
down stairs the little girl was uncon-
sciOus, her sister was kneeling at her side,
and the boy was trying to stop the flow of
blood, He was weeping bitterly.
81 did not know the pistol was loaded, :"
he said to his mother,
Captain Gunner, of the Twenty-eighth
Precinct, was notified of the shooting He
went to the house and arrested little
BlackwOod who gave up his pistol. An
ambulance was called, and the girl was
taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. The house
surgeon, after making an examination,
said that the wound was fatal, The bull
let, which was of No, % calibre, lodged
in the brain, Last night she was sinking
fast and Coroner Herman was sent for.
Shn was IInpOnGpiOnC XUha1 40 orriua6 nd
he could not take her ante-mortem state
ment. He went to the Fifty=ninth Street
station-house and then Examined the boy.
BlackwOod said that the pistol had been
bought for him by Charles Menge, of No.
172 East SiXty-secOnd street. 1t was a
joint transaction, He contributed fifteen
cents, He intended to use the pistol on
Staten Island. He claimed that he was
not aware that the weapon was loaded
when he pulled it out. He added: 81 am
awfully sorry she was hurt. | hope she
will get well.''
Charles Menge, who bought the pistol,
was sent for. He at first denied Auying
the pistol, but when Coroner Herman
threatened to lock him up he consented to
tell the truth: He said that the pistol had
been bought in a hardware store on Third
avenue four weeks ago. BlackwOOd, he
said, took the price, 35 cents, from his toy
bank unknown to his mother and gave the
money! to him. Blackwood carried the
pistol and 100 cartridges home and hid
them under the stairs. Menge ana he prac-
tised with the pistol in the cellar, and be-
came expert shots. Mrs. Blackwood heard
the report of a shot one day and made in
quiries. She was told that a box had
fallen. BlackwOod then asked George to
take the pistol to his home, but he refused
to do so. The two boys killed many of the
cats in the neighborhood. BlackWood said
that he read story papers. He added that
he did not fire at the little girl to see
what effect the shot would have on her.
He thought it was right to shoot cats.
''Stray cats,'' he said, s'are very annoying,
especially in the night time, when they
hold concerts on the back fences,r
Coroner Herman administered to the
boys a sharp lecture, and also to the hard
ware man who sold the pistol. Blackwood
was paroled and Menge was allowed to
go home with neighbor who had gone
with him to the statiOn-hOuse.