Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-05
Was the Cause of Johnnie
Oates Death
PARENTS MUST BE CAREFUL
And Not Allow Young Boys to
Handle Firearms-.T The
Inquest

Coroner Phil Julien held an inquest
last night on the remains of Johnnie
Oates, the C%enterville boy who was fatal
~ Wounde by a playmate Tuesday even
ing. The verdict of the jury was that the
shooting was accidental, and contained
a clause condemning as criminally care.
less the practice of parents and guard
mas in permitting boys to use firearms.
DR.. Wells testified that he was called to
attend Oates Tuesday evening. He made
a superficial examination of the wound
and decided that it was necessary to re-
move the boy to the hospital, where an
operation was performed and the bullet
removed. The bullet was % caliber and
had entered the body a little to the right
and just below the pit of the stomach,
passing through the liver and was re-
moved at the back of the right side Of
the body. At the post morteln examina-
ton two POUNDS in the stomach were
discovered. The wound in the liver was
almost necessarily fatal.
Ben Roberts testified that he and a
number of other boys We're shooting at
bottles near Oates home Tuesday after
noon. There were two target rifles in
the party. Witness had fired a shot M
handed the gun to John Ingram, who
loaded it. Just as he had pushed The cart
ridge home, and was in the act of pulling
back the lever for the purpose of closing
the breach the explosion occurred. Oates
had arrived but a few moments before,
and the barrel was pointed in his direc-
ton. He told the boys he was hit. He
was assisted to his home. There was no
scuffling over the rifle and the boys were
good natured, and the witness was sure
the explosion was accidental.
The testimony of Harry Bergman was
very similar to that given by young Rob.
erts.
Frank Ralph, who owned one of the
two rifles with which the boys We're
shooting, testified that Roberts and in
gram were the only boys who were shoot
ing. Thu rifle had been given to him
Christmas by his father. His back was
turned when the accident occurred.
John Ingram, the owner of the other
rife, testified that when Ralph, Roberts
and himself went out to shoot they We're
followed by a numbe of other boys,
whom they tried to drive back but could
not. After a number of shots mad been
fired he started to load the rifle, and mad
placed the cartridge in the gun and was
in the act of closing the breach when the
cartridge exploded, the bullet striking
Oates. He was sure he did not nave his
hand on the trigger, but could not tell
what caused the explosion. The rifle had
been presented to him by his father three
years ago and he knew how to handle it
He n Oates We're or friendly terms.
The testimony of Regis Murrish and
Tom Martin was c~orroborative of thai
given by other witnesses. The verdict
was as follows:
"Tha the deceased came to his death a
Butte, Silver Bow county, Montana, or
the Sd day Of May, 1899, from the effect:
of a gun shot YOUNG inflicted by a gur
held in the hands of one job Ingram
that the said shooting occurred on the
I'd day of May, 1899, in Centerville town
ship, Silver Bow county, Montana, ant
from the evidence we, the jury, ind tn,