St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-07-16
A Sad Shooting Accident.
A Lad of Fourteen Years Wounded.

a HoaQ onOOC1n2- ACc1oenD.
A Lad of Fourteen Years Wounded.
The shocking report gained circula-
ton in the village Monday that during
the previous night Lawyer A. +. Nichols
had accidentally shot and wounded his
4-!ear-old step-son, Freeman Frye,
believing that burglars were i'll his
house. The reports of the affair We're
so exaggerated and false in many re-
tspects, that we have taken pains to OBJ
tain correct account of the details of
the sad occurrence.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nichols, who occupied
a bedroom on the second floor of their
res idenee Gu Mt. Pleasant street, We're
awakened about two o'clock by some
it might be in the house All bccom-
ing quiet, they fell asleep again. About
day break Mrs. Nichols was again
awakened and aroused her husband by
saying that she thought some one was
in the house. Just then the boy Free
man, who with his younger brother
occupied bedroom near that of his
parents but on the opposite side of
the hall, screamed loudly, "Father !!
Father - ThereupOn Mrs. Nichols
screamed and ran to the boys room,
one holding it on the inside and the
boy screaming within the room. Mr..
Nichols followed instantly, first seiz
ing loaded revolver that lay in the
commode drawer, and joined his wife
in attempting to force open the door
held by the supposed burglar. MIR.
Nichols was pushing against the door
with his left shoulder and side, when
the revolver, which was in his right
hand, accidentally discharged, and the
% calibre cartridge ball passed through
the lad Freeman, who was found to be
the person who was holding the door.
The ball entered the boys left side
just above the hip bone. whence its
track was prObed three inches forward
to near the surface of the abdomen,
but could not be traced further.
| 1t seems that Freeman was i'll in the
night and obliged to get up, and prob
ably made the noise which awakened
his mother. Being a frail and nervous
child, and no donbt excited by the re-
cent reports of attempted burglaries,
he was in turn alarmed by the move
ments of his mother and called out i'll
his fright to his father, as above stated.
He was probably bewildered withal
and not fully awake, so that while he
held the door on one side to keep out
supposed intruders, his parents were
forcing it on the other, hearing his
screams but supposing he was in bed.
They called his name but he was evil
IDENTITY too excited to answer. On the
discharge of the revolver, he exclaim-
ed, "I'm hitw The true state of af-
fairs was soon learned and medical aid
summoned ut once.
Freeman is not II lad of robust
health, and is Of Il nervous tempera-
ment and timid disposition, which
helps explain his easy alarm. He is q
bright boy, with something of me-
chanical turn of mind, and his gentle
and winning character has made hin
warm friends among his mates during
his residence in this place. The affair
is painful one for the family, who
have the sincere sympathy of this
community.
1t is impossible as yet to foretell tn,
result of the wound. The boy is quite
comfortable and cheerful, aud does no
suffer from pain, and SO far as the cas-,
has progressed, the symptoms are very
favorable. Danger of peritonitis Seems
now to he passed, aud while there il
yet danger from blood poisoning, thu
family entertain hopes that the presen
favorable symptoms may continue
Nothing more has been ascertained III
to the location of the ball, which ma,
, or may not be near the surface. 1t il
not Thought advisable to irritate thu
wound by much probing.
EXPENSIVE AND USELESS LAW
SUITS.
Some will remember that i'm 1851 tn