The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-09-03
TRAGEDY ON
WEST SIDE.

BY the premature explosion of q
shell in the home of Architect s. Reed,
No, 1924 Adams street, Samuel j. White,
Jr.. son of Samuel j. White, the well.
known carriage manufacturer, was al
| most instantly killed last night Owing
to the different stories regarding the
tragedy there was Il mystcr" surrounding
| It last lIght which vii. no doubt lie
cleared this morning. On account of the
| great excitement at the Rouse and the
tXLtr'nlrly l":vous condition of the only
w+t+rSS. Erlrrtt Reed. son Of A s. Reed,
III" exact account of the affair cuud not
be learned last night.
he facts of the ease so tH. as could
le learned, were that the unfortunate
boy visited hlS friend early in the even
ing. Th" two young men went to the
| front third story room together. \ short
time later or about 7.30 O'Clock the Reed
family and people in the neighborhood
heard Il loud explosion. AT the time Of
the explosion A. =. Reed had just finish
ed his supper and was seated in the sit
| ting room reading. Richard Reed. his
| oldest son, with his friend, Albert Hart
| man were sitting on the front porch
On hearing the noise Mr. Reed jumped
up and ran up stairs followed by his
son. When he got to the third Hocr he
met his SON. Garrett standing in the halt
holding up White who was then
almost dead. just as Mr.. Reed reached
them both tell to the floor, Mr.. Reed
pulled his son away and got n pillow to
place under the injured boys head. from,
which the blood was flowing freely. br.
Henry w. Briggs of No. 1926 Jackson
street the nearest physician. was sum-
moneh al once. Coroncr's Undertaken
James 4. Chandler was telephoncd TO
and DIR. Evan &. Shortldge and DIR.
Willard Springer Mr.. Whites family
physician, We're also called. DIR. Briggs,
was the first to arrive, but only "a
time to see the boy breath his last
In Il few miputCs those in the house
and neiGhborhuud We're thrown into a
great state of excitement. Mr.. White
had been Immediately sent for and ar
rived ut the Reed home in a few min
utcS. Mr. White only remained short 4
time and then returned home to break tlyc
news to his family.
DIR. Springer in the meantime had left
for Mr.. Whites home, No. sl2 Harrison
street to break the terrible news as best
he could to Mrs. White. the mother Of
til" dead boy.
In the Reed home the grief at the I'M
fortunate and sudden accident was pitt
full. Mrs. Reed was almost prOstrated
by the shock. The report of the tragedy
soon spread and soon Il crowd had gath
cred in the vicinity of the house at Elev-
cnth and Adams streets. Young Garrett
Reed. who witnessed the accident, was
on the verge Of nervous collapse and
could talk to no one of how it occurred.
He was sent to the home of a ncighbor.
Mrs. William +. Porter, to get him away
from the excitement, Mr.. Reed was
nearly broken down and was constantly
walking from the porch and back.
DR.. Briggs was seen after he had left
the house but was unable to throw much
Fght on the manner in which the boy was
killed. DR.. Briggs Stated the load from d
the she'll entered the head under the
right jaw and cut a large artery. The
boy he said ll"I to death. He said the
boy was living in the hall when he arrived
and ga%pcd his last breath n few Sec
ond< later. He stated that there was a
brrrch loading gun in the room where
shc tragedy happened. To ntlict such
wound. DR.. Briggs said. the gun would
have to be held under the chin.
Coroncr's I'ndcrtuEei' Chandler, who
soon arrived and examined the room.
was of the opinion that young White
was killed by the explosion Of a shell.
hut that t..r shell was not in gun when
it exploded He said that the only gun
in the room was in th" closet and that
ii was very dirty and evidently had no,
been shot off for long time. Mr. Chand-
Ter said there were fragrnnts of hns
exploded shell on the floor, on the wiz
dow sill and on the screen where part
Of tho load went out His opinion IN
that one of the boys had the shell i'll
his hand when the cap was acrldently
Touched. causing 1t to explode. Ther"
was also II large horse pistol on the
bureau, but Mr.. Chandler stated it had
NOT been used for sometime An in
quest will probably he held today.
II was at first reported that another
one Of Mr.. Reeds son-, Archibald, Jr,
was also in the room at the time but it
was later stated that he was not i'll the
house. The dead hoy and Garrett Reed,
were both about IA wears old and had
been bosom friends for years. The de-
ceased was at the Reed home almost
every day, and was almost the same as
A member Of the family. II was reported
that the young men were preparing to
90 cunning today but the rumor could
not be verified Tn" body Of the deceased
was removed Ia the home of his grief
stricken parents.