The San Francisco call., 1899-07-10
TWO BOYS SHOT
IN THEIR CAMP
At HAYWARDS
Joe Loesh Held the
Weapon.
THOUGHT IT WASN'T LOADED
BERNARD KILLIAN MAY DIE
FROM Els WOUNDS.
John Gallagher Will Probably Lose
an Eye-All Parties Concerned
Say the Shooting Was
Accidental.
THOUGHT IT WASN'T LOADED
BERNARD KILLIAN MAY DIE
FROM Els WOUNDS.

Two groups OF boys and a gun they
'didu't know was loaded formed com
hination near Hay wards yesterday morn
ing. which may result fatally. one OF
the lad is wounded almost beyond hope
Of recovery. another may lose the sight OF
an eye and a third Is prisoner IN lhe
Alameda County Jail
Bernard and James I[ilhan and John
Gallagher went 70 Il canyon near HAY
wards several days ago to camp Early
Yesterday morning Joseph Loesh and two
companions went to the camp 10 join the
others for q days sport. They found
Them in the tent lying on the ground
wrapped in blankets. Loesh took a gun
out of the tent and was handling it,. not
knowing it was loaded: 1t suddenly eX-
ploded, the charge going through me can
vas and striking two of the ladS nSlde.
The elder kiEan was struck on ulS iOIe-
head and the top of ms head was p'oWh
OFF Gallagher WAS shot III the eye, jim
hillian was not injured
The two victims of the accident were
taken 10 the County lntirmary and later
gallagher was sent nome. hlilan was
unconscious, and the doctors at once Salu
that death must follow in a snort time.
Joseph LoeSh was arrested and taken TO
the Jail IN Oakland 10 await develop
I'VE are old friends" said Loesh at the
faiI. .aud have known each other a long
time. Jimmie and Bernie Nilllan ana John
Gallagher have been camping there some
Time and last night | Went out with VIII
lie Wright and Jack Rodgers to have
DAYS fun We arrived al their tent. rev
miles from HaywardS. about half-paSt
O'Clock his morning, and found the three
bows in bed. We jOshed them a few min
uteS about being in bed so late. and tnen
/ asked Bernard If he would lend me ins
gun. so that We could 90 on ana nave
"He said ne would, and l found two
guns on a box in = corner of the tent. lie
Tald me that the left trigger was broken,
and that he had lost some good Shots be
cause Of it. lie said that the otheT trigger
was i'm good shape and that II did goou
work.
ed or unluaded. and ! took II outside the
tent 10 examine it, / saw 1t was useless
to try to do anything with the left trig-
ger and then / examined the right one.
The gun iS a breeCh-loader ana had no
idea that there were any shells in It.
..'Iha three boys were lying on blankets
inside the TENT nut the flap was closed 50
that we could not see each other We
continued to talk about the gun. and while
I was handling the good trigger thc gun
went off. / thought 1t was unloadeQ ana
did not know 1t was not Till the smell cX-
The shot went through the canvas and
irstanrIv there was Il yell inside. We,
who We're outside. could not see what the
shots had struck. but a rev seconds latef
Gallagher ran out with his hand over his
eve from which blood was pouring.
Jimmie Killian also ran out and SAID thdt
Bernie was killed.
Il almost tainted with excitement AZ
the thought of what had done, ana
looking in the tent saw that the top OF
Bernie'S head was one mass OF blood. Iie
could not answer me when ! spoke and
I did not know for few minutes what |
was doing All | remember was that |
feared I had killed my friend We rushed
for help as soon as we were able.
.'Gallagher could talk, and he told me
he was quite sure that it was all acci-
dental
The shot struck Killian square in the
middle of the forehead and tore of the
top of his head. Gallagher viii probably
lose his eye. although the ShotS may nave
hit him high enough to save it.
When the infTmary doctors said that
they feared killian would die Marshal
Ramage arrested LOeSh. but he has as
sured him that the shooting was an ac-
Cident.
DR. Clark examined the wounded lads Al
the County lnfirmary and at once said
that young killian had not one chance in
a thousand to recover. There was piece
of the scalp as large as the hand blown
off and a hole in the skull about the size
matter prOtruded.
John Gallagher was suffering from 4
severe wound in the left eye. Whether
or not the accident viii cost him the sight
After his wound had been dressed he was
able TO be removed to his home, S36 TSie-
graph avenue, Oakland. where his father,
\. Gallagher, conducts a grocery store.
Drs. Hamlin and BrinkerhOff were imme-
diately summoned to attend him, but
It will he several days perhaps before the
true extent of his injury can be aScer-
1ained. He is i years of age-abOut G
old as his companions. He views the sad
affair as purely accidental, as do his COM
paniOns.