West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-01-12
OUR SECOND REGIMENT.
Sergeant Charles ". Wolfe Writes
Up The accidents Of Camp Life
DOTl in Dixie.
TOO Many Fools with Guns and the
Wrong Man Allied.
From our special army Correspondent.

and killed last Sunday morning,
making tn" fifth shooting scrape
for oar reg nont siacc coming 10
Greenvlne
About three weeks ago 1st Scrg,
Antoine Gaufot OF Co. TX :" shot
and killed Private Frank Spurlock
OF the same company, while trying
to arrest him.
A week later, George Mattice,
Private 203rd N. Y, while on the
Provost Guard, near our Camp
shot and instantly killed Frank
Mugridgo aud severely wounded
Frank Hart, both of Company "B"
2nd w. Va. The boys had been
shooting at pine tree near the
street when Mattice came along
and started to arrest them, but
they ran from him when he fred
after them, killing one and wound
ing the other.
On Christmas day, Lieut..
Ramsey dropped u pistol in Cap.
tain Gaufot's tent, which fred one
shot up through the chair, the
Captain was sitting OIL and through
his thigh, lnaictlng a painful flesh
wound.
But the saddest Of all was the
accidental shooting of Private
Harvey A. Steele last Sunday
morning by Emmett Kane, a
clerk in the suffers tent. The
accident occurred about 8 O'Clock
In the suffers establishment sta
NOued at the northern corner of
the camp and owned by j. @. Blair
Anderson who has been with the
regiment in this capacity almost
from the time the mpany was
mustered into the service.
The bullet, SO caliber from q
six shooting Colts army revolver
entered Immediately in front Of the
left ear, ranged almost directly
across aud slightly upward and
lodged in the skull Immediately
behind the right ear.
At the time of the accident Kane,
Steele, Geo. p: Anderson, and
little negro boy, were standing
about the stove inside the stand,
Steele waiting to be served and the
others being regularly employed at
the stand. Steele and Anderson
were facing northward and the
negro faced them and Kane was
standing with his revolver facing
the left side OF Steele who was one
OF his warmest and best friends.
Kane raised the revolver and
placed its point within a few feet
OF Steele's neck, while Steele's at
tention was drawn TO the stove.
The negro pointed to the pistol and
was calling his attention to how
near the point was to his neck when
Kane fired aud sent the bullet
crashing through young Steele's
Draln, killing him instantly.
Kane, it is said. had been re-
peaiedly warned W DO more care.
ful with the weapon. For several
days he had been handling it care
Iessly and he was ordered TO lot it
alone. Half an hour before he
killed Steele he had accidentally
discharged tho weapon in She shop.
II is understood that the acct.
dent was the result of Kane's lack
OF kJ0wlego OF how q Colts rcvol
yer rVyOlves that he said he did
not know that Colts revolved
opposite from an ordinary revolver.
lie knew that the weapon contained
IoHded shells, but hc thought be
had arranged 10 so that The hammer
would fall on one Of tho empty
shcils.
Steele his belonged to the
Hospital Corps ever since his en-
listment Juno 18th, '9s, and was
oHo Of tho best nurses there.
Lately ho has been acting clerk for
the Brigade Slrgsoa OF tho 1st
Brigade here, Ills appointment
being givon bin on account 81 Dbl.
excellent peumanship and Efficient
clerical work.
lie was 2i years Of age, and VIA
an adopted son ~ John Il. Steel.
Of Clarksburg. W. va.
Holiday season WIS gay one
here, Notwithstanding We bid go
sEow " Ice. Between Christmas