Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-12
THE CASUALTY RECORD.
Latest Theory of the Tragedy Near
Illinois City.
VIM. FOrdham's Death May Have
Bern Acc dental --Fuli Particulars
OF the Bowling Shooting Affair.".
An Accide mt In Rock Island.

An Accide mt In Rock STAND.
Yesterdays ARGUS contained the COM
plete and correct details of the mysterious
death while rabbit hunting Wednesday
afternoon, OF VIM. Fordham, of Illinois
City. While later developments do not
remove the mystery connected with the
young mans death in the woods, the
theory as to the direct cause of death IS
somewhat changed, and those who were
first inclined to believe the unfortunate
fellow had been the victim of foul play,
are more apt to sustain the belief now,
that his death was purely accidental.
MIR. VIM. Myers. of Illinois City, was in
the city this morning and from him an
ARGUS reporter obtained the generally
accepted version of the case at present.
AS related in Yesterdays ARGUS. Ford.
ham had bsen hunting rabbits alone, hav-
ing for flrearm gun which had seen
considerable usage. When found there
was deep. CHASTITY looking wound in the
centre of bis forehead from which the
blood was flowing copiously. The gun
was gone and there was nothing TO show
what had inflicted the injury. But closer
investigation revealed foot prints in the
snow lead Dg from place some distance
away. These foot marks first led to
tree where the young man had evidently
stopped and leaned his weight against
the trunk; then there were foot marks
and a bloody trail to the spot where he
was found. In his pocket was found
the breach jim of The gun, the end of
which was covered with blood, while the
indentation in the forehead was just such
as the pin would make. Now the belief
of Mr.. Myers is, that Fordhsm attempt
ed to fire his gun; it bursted and the
breach pin was driven into his forehead;
that he then walked to the tree, leaned
against il and pulled the pin out, putting
| it in his pocket; that be then started for
| home, but the blood began to flow and
that exhausted he fell and died. How>
ever the gun is yet missing and this o.
course leaves the question as the
cause of death open to doubt. No in
quest has been held.
| An ARGUS representative today OBJ
tanned tie correct facts in regard to the
shooting accident in Bowling township.
| to which allusion was made IN last nights
paper, Mr.. VIM Clarke, father of the
victim of the accident, furnishing the de-
tails, being himself in the city. The full
name o. the man shot was Robert A.
Clarke, of Shelby county, Iowa, and he
was home on visit to his parents. Yes
terday morning while accompanying
| the little children to their school, he saw
"a rabbit in the road. Returning,
| and while attempting to scare the
rabbit out of the brush, and shoot.
! too, he slipped and received the dis
charge of the gun in his left groin. He
was conveyed to his fathers home, where
DR.. Syler, of Presumption, is attending
him, and does not apprehend serious
consequences. Mr.. Clarke is thirty two
years of age.
Chss. Ullmeyer, a clerk in Emil Koch
Hers drug store on Third avenue and
Eleventh street, met with an unfortunate
accident yesterday afternoon while pre-
pairing to lower barrel of gasoline from
the sidewalk to the cellar. The barrel
slipped unexpectedly and crushed him
between the sides of the eellarway, and
the cras hing noise brought Mr.. Koehler.
who. seeing that the young man was
badly hurt, had him carried to a couch in
the rear OF his store, while telephone
message to BeDgston's drug store brought
the boys brother, VIM. Ullmeyer, and
DR.. S. G. Plummer. Jr. An investiga-
ton showed a compound fracture of the
right leg below the knee, and 1t was
properly attended to. The young man
was taken to the home of his father, 916
Elev enth street, and today he is reported
as doing as nicely as could be expected