Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-22
THE shot Was A FATAL ONE
Little Charles Crosby Dies
From His Wound.
GUNSMITH KRAUSPE ARRESTED
Held for Selling the Pistol to
Young Brennan.
Death Ends the Sufferings of Little
Charlie Crosby, who Was Accidentally
Shot by Homer Brennan. Another Boy
--The Man who sold the Pistol to-
Brennan Held for Trial.

Charles Crosby, aged . years, son of
James Crosby. No. 70i French street. was
accidentally shot and perhaps fatally
wounded by Homer Brennan, aged l3
years last Friday afternoon. The shoot
ing occurred in the store of Julius A..
krauspe, gilnsmith, at No, ll5 West
Ninth street.
1t is the oft-repeated story of the pre-
cccious boy and the innocent pistol. Young
Brennan, who is a lion among the boys i'll
his neighburhood, is member of the
sixth grade of the boys high school. and
is inclined to be just little wayward.
Friday afternoon, according to his own
story, he left home shortly before clock
and proceeded to No. / school, where he
induced Charles Crosby to join him. and
from there the boys went to krauspe's
store on West Ninth street near Orange.
As soon as the lads entered brennan asked
to see self acting Smith IL Wesson re-
volver which was lying in the show case.
docs your father allow you to have the
revoyer?" asked krauspe.
YES" replied the boy, I'VE are going to
the country next Saturday, and my father
said might have it." Brennan knew this
was untrue. His father had forbidden him
to have pistol.
The locksmith HANDED over the pistol
and then Brennan asked him for a car
fridge, which krauspe produced. 1t was of
- calibre. Brennan placed the cartridge in
the chamber of the pistol, and meantime
little Charles Crosby stood watching him.
The little fellow never dreamed of harm.
Brennan saw the lad standing dangerously
near the weapon, and he attempted to
push him away.
As he did so he unconsciously pulled the
trigger of the self-acting revolver. There
was u loud report, and az the same time the
Crosby lad fell backwards on the floor.
The ball entered his right temple, just
piercing the brain. A tiny stream of blood
Ouzed from the wound, covering the floor
where the boy lay. The crimson fluid also
trickled down over his forehead, soiling
his outer garments.
Young Brennan ran at once fer DR..
William II. Burr, while ex-Mayor C. y.
llhoads, who happened to be passing. sent
telephone call TO the Delaware Hospital.
lsadore Singer, who was prompt to arrive,
helped the gunsmith gently pick the boy
up and lay him on lounge until the am
bulance arrived. lie was III a semi-con-
scious condition. and apparently suffered
little pain. At times he relapsed into SEEM
ing inconsistencies, and once or twice
on awakening asked "ls mamma hereH'
He was assured that she would soon arrive
and then fall back on the lounge. Once
he asked for Homer Brennan. and said the
shooting was an accident. The ambulance
removed the lad to his home, No. 70I
| French street. DIR. James A, Draper was
called in and later DR.. l.. A. kittinger.
The little fellow lay in semi-conscious
condition all night. The family were
distracted over the sad accident, Charles
will not be l0years old until September. He
is pretty, tiaxen-haired lad, with bright
blueeyes, and was general favorite in the
Eeighborhood. He is n member of st.
Panl's NJ. Il. Sunday-school and attended
No. public school. He has one brother,
Howard, two years his senior. Both are
bright lads and general favorites. The
lads father is superintendent at the
works of the Pusey Il Jones Company,
where he has been employed for number
of years.
II was learned last Friday that young
| Brennan had frequently exhibited pistols
| of late, and that he showed a weapon to
several companions at the high school
only Friday week. Tuesday night week
Brennan pulled revolver and pointed it
playfully at a young companion. This
was in the elder Brennan's store on King
street. The boy took the pistol from behind
! the restaurant counter. but fortunately
he did not pull the trigger. A. D. Vandever,
whose stable is in the rear of Brennan's
restaurant says he has heard the boy
shooting in the back yard frequently.
Young Brennan went to Krauspc's store
ten days ago, he says, to purchase a re-
volver, and Howard Crosby, brother of
| the victim, went with him. Brennan pur-
chased a defender revolver So on this
occasion and paid Krauspe for it, krauspe
denies selling the weapon. both brennan
and Crosby aver that the revolver was
| purchased at this store. They also say
| that they went to several other locksmiths
| before going to kraIispe, and no one would
sell them the pistol II was a desire to
purchase a larger pistol that induced
| Brennan to 80 back 10 krauspe's store on
| Friday. krauspe declares the boy paid
I,, hp nf for lr1a
| returned, while the Brennan boy insists
| tlnt he did not give the lOcksmith any
! money.
Tie lad dcdat 20 o'clock Tuesday even
1 ing. The end was calm and peaceful. The
/ little fellow was deliriuus most of the day.
About noon DIR. kittinger said the boy
| was holding his own, but was not out of
danger Toward evening he grew gradually
worse, and then il was observed that the
! hand OF death was upon him. There was
/ that rattle in the little fellows throat
/ which foretells of death, and the family
4 were notified that the end was near.
/ There WAS much sadness in the Crosby
i home and the parents grief knew no
! bounds. Charles was unconscious when
/ he died. The family were gathered around
! the death-bed as was the family physician.
/ At 10 the little fellow breathed his last
1 and then all was over.
Detective Walter Witsil Tuesday even
| ing arrested j. A. krauspe, at his store on
\ West Ninth street, charged with selling
! pistol to u lad under 10 years krauspe was
/ afterwards released ON bail
/ Homer Brennan, aged l3 years, who &C.
| cidentally fired the deadly bullet into
! Charles Crosby's brain, has not been ar
4 rested
krauspe was arraisned before Judge
/ Bali yesterday, charged with selling a
\ pistol 10 Il minor. lie waived hearing
/ and was held in 800 bail for the upper
! court. William Il, Frank furnished Sc
curity for the above amount.