Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-01-04
Walter Hoffman Carelessly Fires on
His Revolver While Out Riding.
Tie Shot Enters 4 Young Mans Hsad
With Fatal Result.
Holman Is Held to Account for His
Negligence In the Matter.

s.1o liz WHICH u FORMER Uik tOlnL
boy is involved. The circumstances
surrounding the case are worthy OF
being duly considered by every
person and taken rs a warming to
avoid the habit of CARRYING a revol-
YER. The accident in question re.
suited in the death of Charles Over
huIse, a young man 20 years Of age
and who is spoken of as having
been exceptionally bright and in.
telligent.
On last Sunday evening about 7:3O
n sleighing party, consisting OF
Misses Tressa Vincent, Payne and
Wright and Messrs. Fred Vinson,
Walter Hoffman aud Ira Lynch,
started to watch the old year
out and the new year in. Their
destination vas the Wright farm
home, some six or seven miles from
Vermillion. MIR. Vinson had a big
tin horn, while Messrs. Lynch and
Hoffman had revolvers. 1t was
their purpose to observe the event
with the firing Of revolvers and toot-
ing Of horns. The night was dark
and as they passed along the road
with their team and bob sleigh the
party blew their horn and listened
to the resounding echo. Out OF. the
Atwood hill, two miles from Ver-
million, there was a coasting party
Of young people, among whom was
Charles Overhulse. Near the top
of the hill was a sand pit with a
recess which would admit of a per-
son standing up. When the sleigh
ing party reached the hill the coast.
ing party gave a few yells after the
Indian fashion, in response to the
footing Of the horn, and then entered
the sand pit. Walter Holman was
standing up in the bob sleigh, with
a foot braced or each side Of the
wagon box. When he heard the
yell he grabbed the revolver from
his oyercoat pocket and, raising his
arm to an angle Of 45 degrees, shot
in the air as he thought. But in
throwing his arm up at such an
angle the bullet entered the sand pit
and struck Charles Overhulse be-
tween the eyes.
The team skipped along in a
frightened condition for q short dis
lance and nothing more was thought
Of the firing Of the revolver by
the party, until Fred Lynch, o Of
G.. NJ. Lynch of this city, arrived at
the Wright residence, the destina-
ton of the sleighing party. He
there informed them that Charles
Overhulse had been shot in the FORE
head, and was not expected to live.
The coasting party, upon seeing
young Overhulse fall, thought he
was playing postum" and trying to
make the boys believe he had been
shot. After calling him two or
three times they turned him over
and observed the blood flowing from
his head. They "hollered" two or
three times to the sleighing party,
but received no response. He was
taken to his home a short distance
away and died at 3 O'Clock in the
morning.
Mr.. Hoffman, after being informed
of the accident, returned to Vermil-
lion ut 2 o'clock in the morning and
surrendered himself in the hands Of
the sheriff.
+. G. Ericsson and Mrs. J. w.
Hoffman, mother OF Walter, went to
Vermillion on Monday and called
on the young man. He explained
how the accident occurred to them
and afterwards Mrs. Hoffman visited
the Overhulse home and the parents
of the dead assured her that they
had no feeling in regard to the ac-
cident except in The loss Of their son
overw which they seemed heartbroken.
They laid no particular blame upon
Mr.. Hoffman and looked with
leinency upon his negligence and
carlessness.
Walter Hoffman who is placed in
SO unfortunate a position, was born
in Elk Point and lived here most of
his life. He learned the printing
trade in THE COURIER office, and
last fall leased the Clay County
Freeman, taking Fred Lynch in as
a partner. He has always been Of
a thoughtless disposition and full
OF "Ned" as it is often expressed.
The acquaintances OF his life in Elk
Point very much regret that he
should be SO thoughtless as to carry
a revolver aud regard his present
difficulty entirely due TO his disre-
gard Of possible or probable conse-
quences.
The verdict of the coroner's jury,
was to the effect that Charles Over
hulse. met death, from q shot fired
''maliciously and feloniously' by
Walter Hoffman. This charge is
really a serious one and involves
more than can he surmised from the
circumstances of the case.
The preliminary examination was
held Tuesday afternoon at | o'clock.
The defendant was represented by
Hon. Il. G. Ericsson. After the read
ing Of the complaint sworn out by
the father of the dead boy further
proceedings were waived and Mr..
Hoffman was held to await the
action ofthe grand jury in the sum
OF $1,000. which it is though; he
will be able to furnish. The com.
platnt alleges manslaughter in the
first degree.
The law in cases Of the above
nature fixes it as manslaughter il
the first degree, for which the pen
atty is not less than four years il
the penitentiary.