The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-08-21
From Wednesdays Daily.)
Id FATAL REVOLVER.
RecOT Another Victim and Percy
Iailley. of Charleston, Well and
Fa rably Known Here, Meets
His Death by the Accidental Dis
dhafge of the Weapon in His
0Wd Hands.

We take the following account of
the accidental shooting of Percy
Laidley, from the Charleston Mail,
of yesterday:
While examining loaded revol-
yer at $50 o'clock this morning
Percy W. Laidley, of 362 Washing
ton street, was accidently shot and
mortally wounded, dying two hours
later.
Mr.. Laidley was in the employ of
Ed. L. Boggs, the druggist, and
was in the rear of the store when
the accident occurred. He was re-
lating to John Snyder and Frank
Pauley, two boy employees, a dream
he had last night pertaining to some
robbers entering his home, remark
ing at the time that he thought he
would take his 42 calibre Colt re-
volver, which was at the store,
home with him, to be ready for any
midnight visitors. He then got
the weapon from another compart-
ment of the store and reentered the
room where the boys were, with the
remark that the gun was dirty and
should be cleaned He walked
across the room to window that
looks out into the alley running in
the rear of that row Of buildings,
examining the pistol.
He found the cylinder pin loose
and with the muzzle pointing to-
ward him, was trying to tighten it
when the revolver exploded. The
two boys turned in time to see Mr.
Laidley totter step or two and
then without groan sink to the
floor, while the blood spurted in
streams from large wound in the
left breast about which his negligee
shirt was burning.
Mr.. Boggs hearing the shot rush
ed back, and with one hand sup
porting the injured mans head
smothered the fire with the other,
while messengers were sent in ali
directions for medical aid
Drs. Putney, Tompkins, Barber,
Thomas, Ewing, Henry, McConi-
hay, Davis aud others quickly re-
sponded, while the word that Percy
Laidley was dead was spreading
like wildfre and drawing an i'm :
mense crowd around the scene OF
the accident.
Policemen were stationed at the
door of the store to keep the crowds
back, while friends of the sufferer
besieged everyone who came from
the building by inquiries of the
affair.
An examination of the wound
quickly showed that it was very Sc
rious if not fatal. The leaden miss
lie had entered about an inch above
and to the right of his left nipple,
blowing through the lung and heart
chamber, and came out at the point
of the left shoulder blade. Even
then it had not spent its force as it
broke two heavy medicine bottles
on a shelf some distance away and
where it was afterwards found.
The patient soon lost conscious
ness after the examination began.
He recognized DIR. Ewing, who was
one among the first to arrive and
feebly told him it was an accident
pure and simple. Each effort to
speak caused the blood to flow more
freely from the wounds and he was
hushed. Powerful stimulants were
administered to prevent the collapse
that invariably follows a gunshot
wound and tho wounded man
made as comfortable as possible,
while the physicians dressed the
injuries.
When Mrs. Laidley arrived lit
tie after 9 o'clock Mr.. Laidley was
unconscious and remained so until
within few minutes of his death.
About 9:45 or 10 o'clock he was
removed to his home, attended by
physicians, where at 1920 he died.
Just before death he talked to his
wife, assuring her it was an acci-
dent and tried to explain how it
occurred, but his voice failed him.
Mr.. Laidley was 81 years of age,
and five years ago married Miss
Mary Winkler, of this city, who,
with two little girls. survive him.
Chicago's most unpopular man is