Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-08-26
From he SaiPpsns5urg Pa Chronicle 1871.
THE DEADLY REVOLVER.
4 Most Distressimg Aeeident.

We are called upon this week to chroni-
Gle one of the saddest accidents that IS &C.
cured in this community. On the Walnut
Bottom road, l.if nile east of Shippens-
burg lives Mrs sarah E. Sibbett, widow
lady. and her family of three daughters and
four sons. the oldest OF whom Is Lowrie, an
intelligent and most exemplary young man,
aged about u years, who hss been engaged
in teaching sir is graduation at the Cum
berland VALLEY te Normal School in 1882.
Next To- I.owrie age are his two brothers,
vii, and Elliott, who for some weeks have
had a southern trip in contemplation and
had made every preparation to start on last
Saturday. A cousin Of these young men,
Mr.. 4. c. Withersp00n, resided at Rlpon,
West Virginia. He was about ~ years OF
age and had been student at the Cumber-
land Valley State Normal School in 1854,
He made many acquaintance and was very
popular while here He also united with
the PRESBYTERIAN church Of this place, and
was a young man of excellent Christian
character. Mr.. Witherspoon came to Ship
pensburg last Friday to pay his friends
visit previous TO his departure for the West,
where he expected to engage in teaching.
He arrived in Shippensburg about three o.
clock and proceeded to the residence OF his
aunt. Mrs. Sibbett, where he received cor
dial welcome. His two cousins, Will and
Elliott. were absent at the time, and Low
RE took him up stairs to show him their
outfit for the trip South. Mr.. WitherSpoon
was examining q rifle, when Lowre took a
revolver from one of the trunks and said to
him Here is revolver that brother
bought" Mr.. w. was about stepping for
ward to examine it when the weapon went
OIL and the ball passed in at the corner OF
hi, left eve, going through his brain and
lodging in the back part of his head. For
AN instant Lowrie could scarcely realize
what had happened, so dazed was he at the
sight: but summOning his presence OF mind
he procured a horse and rode to town with
AN possible speed for physician. He was
almost crazed with grief when he arrived In
town and scarcely knew what he was doing.
Some friends got him 30 dismount and took
MIN TO the residence Of Dr. WitherspOOn,
where they did everything to console him
while Drs. WitherSpoOn and SchOch has
tened TO the scene of the tragedy. They
found young WitherspOOn alive, but beyond
hope of recovery. He fingered in an I'M
conscious state for an hour and half after
the accident, when he died. He suffered
no pain, as he was unconscious from the
moment the fatal bullet did its sad work.
The weapon was of the British bulldog
pattern. was a thirty-twO calibre self-cocker
The barrels had been emptied during the
forenoon: but without the knowledge OF
/ Lowrie had been reloaded by his brothers
and placed in the trunk. When he took II
he had no idea that it was charged. He
however, did not point it towards his cous-
i'm but was passing it towards the window
when his finger must have come in contact
with the trigger and young Witherspoon
coming in range just at the moment receiv-
ed the fatal charge The father was tele-
graphed to aud arrived on Saturday after
noon. His grief knew no bounds as he
looked on the face of his son who had only
one day before been in buoyant health now
cold i'm death. The funeral took place on
Monday morning. 4 short service was held
at the house, Rev. :. 5 Wylie, of Middle
Spring. officiating assisted by Revs. Ale
man. Craig and Hutzler, of this place. The
remains were ther conveyed to Chambers
/ burg where they were inferred beside those
of his mother i'm the Cedar Grove Cemetery
Reys. Crawford and Kennedy officiating.