The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-14
THE SHOT STRUCK HIMSELF



The largest picnic Of the year. gwen
yesterday by the Seattle. Lake Snore q
Eastern for she benefit OF its employees
and their families, almost ended u .
tragedy. When the train arrived al $50
last evening # bore the prosfrate oooy
OF T. Arson. night Waterman for fne
Oregon improvement Company, who had
accidentally shot himself after fruit
less attempt 20 end the LIFE OF fellow
passenger.
Arson Joined the excursionisfs At the
Lake Shore depot yesterday morning. tax
ing along with him his wife. a most es-
timaoie woman and three children ON
the way up the road 10 the falls he spent
considerable time In the cab with Eng1-
neer James Hoyr. but made himself so
dassgreeabie, owing 10 the influence OF
drink. that he was not allowed 10 ride
On the engine on The return. This ap-
peared TO nettle him, but he held him.
self IN until the train approached Wood
inyille Junction
At this point he became involved IN an
alteration with some Of the excursion
1sss. ard after threatening words and an
ugly manner made a move TO draw re-
volver from his right hand hippockes.
But he was not quick enough. for before
he knew what was happening Steve
T@s1meyeT, who vas standing near. in
ferrered- The two men struggled TO-
getner. and in some way the revolver.
wnscn was a 3. was d1scfra rged. and The
ball lodged IN AnSon's right leg.
The wounded man was In the baggage
car. which like al the cars on the train.
was crowded 10 overlooking. He sank
down on the ho3r, and lay there until the
train pulled UP at the station In this
city. In the meantime a dispatch had
been sent 10 DIR. Rufus II. Smith, who
was on hand when the train came in
nr be- =
home on Eighth street, near Weller
where the ball was extracted and the
wound dressed. The bullet had entered
the right hip at the crest of the spine.
and had ranged downward along the fe-
muir almost In the course OF the femoral
artery. Luckily the artery was not sew
cred, and the wounded man Is in good
condition. although he had q narrow es-
cape from a fatal wound.
A curious circumstance il that Mrs.
Arson. who was in a rear car. did not
learn or the shooting until the train ar
rived at the hons station. When she
there found her husband badly wounded
her surprise and grief were SO great as
almost TO cause nervous prostration.
Two years ago Anson was a switchman
near Renton. and one day was run down
by a train. His right leg. the same in
Jured by the pistol shot, was almost COM
pietely fayed. and DR.. Smith was called
on TO do extensive skin-grafting.
Aside from the above incident the picnic
was the biggest success of the year. When
the morning game yesterday hundreds OF
people fboczed 20 the railway station. and
wlsem tirs train was ready TO pun out each
of the five cars was filled to overlooking.
Every seat was occupied, and men, women
and cifsldren stood IN the assles and COW
cred the platforms UNTIL no hess than 500
gay exCurSscriSsus found room To hang TO
rlse cars The engine, No. 4, with the noted
slide whistle, was sERfer the careful hand
OF James Hoyt and had been appropriately
decorated wlth flags and bunting. The
proud engineer easily carried hts heavy
load up the steep grades to Tale fails. de-
csarang that No. T. the most beasi-
uiful piece of nlaclslnery on tho
road, could climb a tree. If he
would only give the word. Engineer Hoyt.
on the way up, showed the possibilities OF
the wonderful chime whistle by playing
popular selections. such as "Annie Roo
ney." when Johnny Comes Marching
Home" TO the great amusement of the ex-
cursionists.
The party arrived at the falls before II
O'Clock. and did not set out on the return
until 6 p. m. The run down was without
incident. save related above.
The great bugbear OF the excursion was
a few kegs OF beer unde~ the dispense
tion OF persons with an eye on lucre more
than on the good OF the party. When the
excursionists reached the end OF the ride,
the beer sellers rolled the kegs across
the long trestia, and demanded 10 cents
per head OF all who chose to cross, CIV
ing the privilege OF drinking beer. The
scfeme did not work very we'll. ard some
OF the kegs were rolled back again and
distributed around until there were three
places whore the liquor could be obtained.
II was not all sold out at the falls. and
what remained was put into the baggage
car and retailed by the glass as the train
rolled homewarsi. There was little sign
of sutoxicatson until after the homewaTd
run had been begun.