Evening journal., 1897-09-03
CHASTITY CUNNING TRIP
Frightful Accidents to Two
Wilmington Hunters.
ONES HEAD WAS BLOWN OFF


ARM AT THE SHcUDDER-A. II.
D1CRERSON'S GUN TOOK THE
LIFE OF POOR JOHN WOLLING.
Two very serious accidents resulted
from cunning trips after reed birds on
the marshes yesterday afternoon. John
Wolling, better known as Jersey"
had his head almost blown off by a
gun in the hands of Alonzo r. Dicker-
son, proprietor OF the Pullman House.
at No. Gil East Eleventh street, whom
he was pushing in a boat. and Lucius
G. Jones, who was cunning near the
works Of the LObdell Car Wheel Com
pany, had his right arm blown off by
The explosion of his own gun, which he
accidentally kicked.
AT 3.45 O'Clock, when Wolling and
Dickerson had pushed past the w &
N. pier in a boat, Woling dropped to
the bottom of the boat to allow DiclSer-
son to fire at a rail bird. He never
raised again.
Wolling's mortal accident is described
by Dlckerson, who was the only witt
ness. According to him, Wolling came
to his saloon and proposed that they
go cunning Wolling was to do The
pushing and Dickerson the shooting.
II was shortly after ~ O'Clock when
they started. They rOwed as far as a
place, called by gunners, the city ditch,
on the Delaware. A rail bird flew In
the reeds on uhe lowlands, and Woll-
! ing pushed the boat after il. He said
to Dlckerson, when / get down, you
shoot" The pusher stood up in the boat
and hegan beating around in the reeds
wiah the pole.
When the bird flew out of its cover,
Wolllng, dropping in the bottom of the
boat. said: Now put It to him." Dick
erson fired. and. as he did so he heard
q a noise. as II Wolling had started 10
! speak. and as the smoke cleared away
saw his companion drop into the bot
tom OF the boat with a gaping wound
Z In the back Of his head He rowed with
: the body 10 the w. & n. pier, distance
of about three squares, but which, he
said. seemed like a lifetime, and, tying
a the boat. went ashore and reported the
case He had no idea how the accident
= happened. but supposed that Wolling
r raised up Just as he fired.
v Deputy Coroner Chandler was nOui-
X fed by Edward Hanlon from the pier
I. office. where Dickerson had arrived IN
an almost crazed condition. The ohl-
N cials thought Il best to take DickerSon
4 In custody until an inquest could Re
le held
"a This official investigation took place
ne last night: A. p Stetser, Frank Carey
Ne Warren Martin. Edwin Meyers, George
re w. Jackson and John Osborne com
al uoaed the Jury. Walter r.. Coale was
present when the men started out on
T. the trip. and said that they were Close
is friends. John w. Hall testified te
loaning the men his boat.
T. Edward Hanlon corroborated DICK
] erson's story as related above, as uh'
M one told him by Dickerson on tho
ID wharf. The jury wholly exonerateo
y, Dickerson.
Wolling leaves a wife and four small
ut children. They live on Church lan'
Sc and are very poor. When MS Wiz
Id heard the sad news last night she wa
ie prostrated and last night 1t was feareC
"a that she would go insane. Dickersoh
N too. was greatly wrought up over lh'
IN accident and while the inquest was u
p- progress walked up and down the lloo
m and moaned.
ID THE SAD ACCIDENT TO JONES.
- Iucms c. Jones lives at No. 100
ar b street. and rOwed out to gun for bird
near the Iobdel Car Wheel Works
10 lie pushed his boat as far into cluml
,n of weeds as possible. and, laying hi
p gun in the stern OF the boat. steppe'
H. across it toward the bow, with che in
mi tention of beating down scme Of tn
n reeds.
re His foot hit the gun and Knocked
nel into the bottom Of the boat. II ex
e. ploded and the load entered Jones
IN right arm. It. was badly shattered Il
was taken to the Delaware Hospita
ne where ii was found necessary to ampu
he tate the arm at lhe elbow.
ce The unfortunate gunner was resi- D.
IS as well as could be expected at the De
ly aware Hospital to-day.