Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-05
ANOTHER WARNING
10 THOSE WHO ARE CARELESS WITH FIRE
ARMS.
A Martins Ferry Boy Meets Almost
Instant Death at the Hands
Of a Young CON-
paniOn.

Yesterday afternoon a most distressing
casualty occurred on the river hank near
Deep Run, q few miles above Martins
Ferry, on the Ohio side, by which Edgar
Co.'s, a f~fteen-year-Old son of William
Co.'S, Of Martins Ferry, was almost in
stantly killed by Oscar Martin, an eight
een-year-old son of DR.. 7. c. Martin, OF
the same town.
Albert, Everett and Edgar Co.'S, brothers,
had gone up the river on a fishing ex-
petition, on Thursday last, and were in
camp near the mouth of Deep run. On
| Saturday Oscar Martin called on the boys,
who were friends of his, his intention be-
ing to stay several days.
On Saturday the boys were shooting at a
mark with Martins self-acting revolver,
and when through all Ofthem supposed the
weapon To be empty. About O'Clock
Yesterday afternoon Martin got the re-
volver out again, and, is seems natural
with boys commenced swapping it i'll the
other bows faces. Albert, the older OF the
Coss bows. wanted him TO dcSist, he feeling
a little uneasy, even though he felt sure the
gun was empty. At last the fatal chamber
stood under the uplifted hammer, and Just
before Martin pulled the trigger, Edgar
remarked, Il can't dodge that" These
words were hardly out OF his mouth when
Martin pulled the trigger and the bullet
went crashing through Eddie's brain, and
he fell, dying in a few moments.
-. -.l..s,. ,,E,4 l., Ill H. .-.t
the revolver. it is said, to his own head
and snapped it clear around the cylinder,
exclaiming with each frenzied breath, Il
will die tOor' Il will die tOor' Finding
no more loads in the weapon, he COM
meneed to reload it to execute his de
sign, but was frustrated by Albert
Co.'S, the elder brother OF his victim. Mar
tin then ran away from the scene of the
accident, apparently crazed by the fearful
result of his careleSSneSS. The dead boys
brothers picked up the corpse and putting
il into a Skiff they had at the camp, rOwed
toward Martins Ferry. When part way
down, Charles Johnson, of Martins Ferry,
who was also fishing, was called and re-
leased the boys from the unpleasant duty of
returning their brothers corpse. When
S~weeney's brick yard landing was reached,
Johnson called J.. X. Shrodcs, who assisted
in carrying the dead boy TO his home in
Clark's addition.
When Martin ran down the road, after
firing the fatal shot, he met George Spence
on a bicycle. He told Spence of what had
happened, and the two went back. Spence
afterwards went on to TiltOnville, but Off
Ger Duffy and DIR. Martin came up and
took Young Martin down TO Martins
Ferry, where he was lOckedup to await the
action of the Coroner. Word was sent to
Coroner Criswell, ut Bellaire. and he went
up 10 the COsS residence, but after making
enquiry into the circumstances, and
being assured by Mr.. COSs, father of the
dead boy, that the whole sad affair
WAS an accident, he said an inquest was
unnecessary. Young Martin was accord
ingly released from custody. The revolver
with which the boy was shot was a thirty
two calibre ~self-aeting weapon of cheap
make, and had been borrowed by Martin
from Harry Gherkins, at the solicitation
of COsS, as q protection against tramps.
The bullet entered the boys head about an
inch above and back of the left eye,
passing entirely through the brain and be-
ing visible at the back of the head. When
the shot was fired the boys could not have
been more than a very few feet apart, rs
the dead boys forehead, round the little
hole from which bis life so quickly sped,
was blackened and stained with burned
powder.
The boys are all in the employ of the
ElSOn Glass Company, and were enjoying
their summer vacation.