New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-28
THE DEA TIL OF THOMAS 0. SPEIR
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY HIS OWN HAND.
HE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM BACHELORS

HE HAD lust RETURNED FROM BACHELORS
PARTY. AND DROPPED THE REVOLVER.
distressing casa OF accidental shooting occurred
in South Orange " j. az early hour yesterday
morning. resulting in the death OF Thomas owen
Spcir one Of the most popular young meI Vi a"'0
village. The facts in the case are the lcno"'is'
Graham H. Brewer who Is TO be married this eVe'"s'
gave bachelors party Tuesday evening 10 u NUM-
Der OF his intimate friends. among them Mr.. speir'
The party broke up soon after midnight ana MI
speir with three OF his companions. started iof nome
They arrived at the home SpeIr about O'Clock ana
Albert G. Wall. OF Brick Church. went 10 DIS ROOM
alone. The other three Mr.. Speir. stewart bro"'' vi
New-Y York. and Parker Dodd OF Newark ci'l snates
ut Princeton. went to Speirs's ROOM Inc three oo
gan 10 undress. Speir standing In front OF the ouea
and the other two sitting the edge OF the BED. IN
the upper drawer OF the bureau was loaded 32-caI
bre revolver and 1t Is supposed that Speir In hths
II ont OF the way, let It fall that his foot sppd Oh
the waxcd floor and caused him to drop It,
Just how the accident happened can never pe
known as both OF the young men were undoihg 'ne'r
shoes at the time. and did not see the occurrence
They were startled to hear the report OF the pstoi'
and to Sper fall to the floor. They sprahe 10 MS
Side and shouted help This quickly came but noth
Ing could be done. Drs. Chandler and Runyon were
hastily summoned and did all that could De donc'
but TO no avail. Mr.. Speir lay unconscious for
two hours and then died. County Physician wright
hall had entered the head on the right size )uSt
I'm front OF the ear and had passed completely through
thc head in an obliquc upward direction coming Out
above the left ear The ball after passing through
spelrs head struck the ceiling and rebounded 10 the
floor where DR.. Wrightson found H. He decided that
an inquest was unnecessary and granted the usual
death certificate.
Mr. Spelr was one Of the best known young men
Of the Oranges lie all-round athlete. ana was
especially known as the half-back OF the orange
Athletic Club football eleven lie was at one time the
coptaln OF the eleven. lie was remarkable LOT MS
clever sprntng and lodging, and in last seasons
nlay he made some phenomenal runs lie was ule
surest and coolest goal kicker that the eleven lan
Mr. SpeIr was the son OF Francis SPELL hardware
| merchant at No. 1875 Duanest., in this city. Inc
family lives In one of the most elegant residences IN
Sonth Orange on the eastern slope OF the orange
Mountain lust west OF Ridgevood Road The family
consisted of three brothers and one sister, the latter
the wife OF j. McMoirow. II New-iork lawyer. Ollie
snoir rs he was generally called BY those who Knew
him we'll was Il rising young architect ne was
twenty six years old, graduate OF Princeton ooneso
in the class OF 1887, and had his once III safest,
his city, lie was the designer OF the new atiheuc
hnildlnc at Princeton College. The SAD occurrence
has cast a gloom South Orange society, a.
Young Speir was fayorte with all