Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-12-31
SCHOOL BOY SHOT DEAD.
Seventeen-year-Old Robert Russell
Shoots Himself Through the Head.
TWO SCHOOLMATES WITNESSES
While Hunting on Snake River the Boy Fall,
Oischarging The Contents OF His Own
Gun Into His Bralus.

| This afternoon at 1890 Robert Russell
was instantly killed by gun shot wount
III the head. He was hunting duck
along the beach mile and half abov,
this city when he fell discharging his gun
Ill such manner that the full charge o
shot entered the forehead lifting tn,
whole top of his head off.
| Claude Routing and Claude Wilkinson
boys of his own age and fellow schoo
mates were with him and they tell TIL,
story of the tragedy. Each of the boy:
had guns and they were at the instant
attracted by brace Of ducks flying along
the bank. To gain vantage place to
fire from the boys started to run each
looking at the quarry when the discharge
| of the gun attracted attention. The com
panions do not describe the position Of
the boy and gun very intelligibly but
they say he fell forward over little bank
and the gun was fired while pointing
directly toward his forehead. He was in
the act of aiming when he tripped. The
breech of the gun was thrust forward in
the attempt to save himself from the force
OF the fall. The gun was thrown so far
forward the muzzle pointed toward the
boys forehead just at the moment the
the hammer hit the frozen ground. The
wound shows that the body was nearly
PROSTATE and that the gun must have
been almost flat on the ground when the
shot was fired into the body.
After the companions turned to the
PROSTATE form not a word was uttered
He lay prone upon his face and died in
stantly. His companions stood over him
dumbfounded for moment and then
hurried to the camp of miner nearby
and called for help. The miner advised
the boys to bring the body to the city in
boat which he had at hand. The boys
rowed hastily down the stream to the
Pearcy ferry where one kept watch while
the other rode bicycle to the coroners
office telling the sad news to acquaint-
ances as he flew by. The crowd hurried
to the boat and viewed the lifeless body.
DR.. Johnson arrived before any action
was made toward caring for the body
and took personal direction Of the re-
moval to Coroner Strong's parlors.
The accident occurred in the Joe
Dubuc field about mile and half above
the city. The gun was a cheap, single
barrel, number twelve, breech loader and
was loaded with heavy charge OF No. a
shot. Each of the boys had guns and
each was intent upon watching the flying
birds in the expectancy of firing or Of
seeing them fall from young Russell's
gun.
The bank which tripped the boy is q
mere furrow not more than a foot deep
He was tripped and evidently slipped al
the same instant losing his balance which
caused him to lunge forward so quickly
and so heavily that he threw his hand.
forward to save himself and the motion
sent the gun ahead its length and fired
it while in line with the boys head
which was thrown back or held up al
that instant.
Robert Russell was bright high
school student in the eighth grade. He
was general favorite with teachers and
schoolmates. His father and mother, a
brother and sister MRS. John Green,
are residents of Lewiston.