The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-11
1T WAS LOADED.
John e. T. Firestone, Of Lower Boise
Meets HIS Death by the Accidental
Discharge Of Shotgun.

Last Saturday, the news was
brought into town by carrier, that
Mrs. G. w. Paul had shot and in
stantly killed man. Such was
the news brought, to town and as no
further particulars could be learned
it caused considerable excitement.
Mr.. Paul was in town, and he pro-
cured rig, and taking Judge
Beatty, DR.. W. C. Maxey, George
) Little and H. K. Hartley with him,
repaired with all haste to the
scene of the accident-for accident
it proved to be, and a very sad one
too. The deceased was a young
man about twenty-one years old,
highly respected by all who knew
him. He was nephew of 1. n.
Paynter and H. K. Hartley. Mrs.
Paul is almost paraiyzed with
grief for the part she played in the
the unfortunate accident. The fol-
lowing is the testimony at the COR
oners inquest, which tells the whole
sad story:
T. c. Martin, Sworn:
I reside half mile east of G. w.
PauPs. Was acquainted with the
deceased. Have known him six or
eight weeks. Saw him last on the
Bird day of may 1889, in company
with Mr.. Paul. Saw him to-day on
the kitchen floor of Mr.. Paul's house,
dead. His death was caused by
gun shot wound in the head; do not
know who shot him. Do not know
whether or not the gun was in his |
own hands when twas fired off, but |
from the position of it should Judge |
it was.
F. Haskins being duly sworn |
says:
I reside at Mr.. Martins. Have |
seen the deceased several times. Saw
him alive last about four weeks ago:
Saw him dead Oh the fourth of Nav
1889, in Mr.. Paul's house, appar-
entity shot in the head. Don't
know who shot him. Think the
gun in his own hands when the shot
was fired.
DIR. Maxey sworn:
| reside at Caldwell, am physi-
clan and surgeon. Was not ac-
quainted with the deceased. Saw
him for the first time tonight at the
at the residence of &. w. Paul, in
the kitchen, dead. / examined the
body and found his death to be
caused by charge of shot entering
his mouth and passing out at the
back Of his head. From indications
the deceased must have been stand
ing facing the west with the muzzle
of the gun in his mouth, in the act
of blowing. Found shot marks in
the ceiling. There was no larcera- :
ton of the lips whatever, but the
upper front teeth were blown out. |
Saw nc powder marks. The gun
must have been in his own hands,
the stock resting on the floor. J
Mrs. A. Paul, sworn. :
[ reside on Snake river. De- =
ceased has been working for us G
about six weeks. After dinner we I
were preparing to go to work in Il e
garden. Deceased saw crow hv
over the house, and he took the gun
and shot at the crow and hung the
up, said; ''the gun is not loaded
is it?" You had better load it. He b
thought one barrel was still loaded, II
said, did not think it was, for II
MIR. Paul had shot it off the other o
lay. | started to look at the gun O
10 see if it was loaded or not, when
ne took it down and stood it on the
ioor, the hammers from him, and :
stopped down and raised one of the
hammers about ] inch. I also had
1old of the gun with my left hand,
below the deceased's hand. Atthat
line deceased stopped over and
bowed in the gun. I tried to let
he hammer down easy, but he
must hayojarred the gun some way,
md the hammer slipped out of my
land and the gun was discharged. +
Deceased fell on the floor and the =
,un rrmained in my hands. l told
ny Oldest girl, who was present, to
20 for Mr.. Martin. The only per-
ons present was the deceased, my
'ldest girl and myself. 1t was Y
bout half past one o'clock on the
til of may, 1889. The hammer
vas not raised high enough for me
o see whether the cap had been
EXPLODED or not. 1 was on good
erms with the deceased. He was
kind and good hearted boy. God B
nows his death was purely ac-
dental
CoRoNERT VERDICT.
In the matter of the inquisition
n the body of John E. T. Firestone, w
eceased, we the undersigned
urors summoned to appear before al
vain Beatty, the acting Coroner of tn
da county, Idaho Territory, at the
'sidence of G. w. Paul, in Lower
Disc precinct, on the fifth day of
ay, 1889. to enquire into the cause
the death of John E. T. Firsstone,
lving been duly sworn according
law, and having made such in
lisition after inspecting the body
I'd hearing the testimony advanced Z
ION our oaths, each and all, do "
y that we find the deceased was '
Imed John e. ]. Firestone, was a