Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-10-03
A DEPLORABLE
ACCIDENT
Jesse Rice Meets Death at EIIenborO
tuesday Night.
THE KILLING is ACCIDENTAL
Receives Gun Shot Wound in Right Side and
Lives but Half Hour.

Jesse Rice, a young man twenty
one years of age, in employ of John
Levelhost, carpenter, met with a
shocking accident Tuesday night al
about $3.50 o'clock that resulted in his
death half hour later at Ellenboro.
The particulars of the sad occur
renee are about as follows: Level
host is engaged in constructing a
barn tor John Edge in Ellenboro, and
young Rice was in his employ. Tues
day evening after supper employer
and employe went to the home of A.
j. Eastman, a neighbor of Mr.. Edge,
to pass the hours until bed time. At
about 9 o'cloc'- they started home and
upon approaching the road came to a
barb wire fence. A short distance
from them they made out the figure Of
an animal of some kind suspended
from a wire of the fence that still
possessed enough life as to be strugg-
ling to gain freedom. Not knowing
what it was and becoming curious tc
to learn Levelhost renamed and kept
watch while Rice retraced his steps
to the Eastman abode to secure a Ian
tern. He told of their find and Mr..
Eastman and young man named
Budd Daily, who was also present,
returned with him to the fence. They
had lantern and Daily carried 9
dou barrelled shot gun along to be
used if necessary. The light of the
lantern showed the object to be
nothing but large, yellow house cat
of somebody's which had become en-.
tangled on fence barb in getting
through between the wires.
The party at once set about to lib
crate the impanelled feline. Daily
turned the but of his gun about and
taking hold of the barrels endeavored
with the stock of the weapon to dis
lodge the cat. Whether the hammer
of the gun caught on the wire OF
whether the struggling cat caught it
with its claws is matter Of conjec-
ture, but at any rate the gun was dis
charged and its contents barely missed
Daily, passing by to Rice and landing
in his right side. He fell to the
ground and exclaimed, "Oh, Oh, |
am done for!n The unfortunate vic
tim was picked up and carried to the
house and laid in bed.
Drs. Godfrey and Gault of this city
were hastily summoned but before
their arrival at Eastman's the young
man was dead, expiring a half hour
after the accident took place. Con.
scious to the last, he knew full wei
everyone about him and realized hi.
condition.
Authorities here were notified early
yesterday morning Of the affair and
Dist. Atty. Brown, Undersheriff Nc
Mahon and Justice Wheeler went
down and conducted an inquest at
9 a. m. A jury was summoned con-
sisting of John Dobson, James Divall,
VIM. Mccormick, Chas. Shaw, Josh
ia Leighty and John 5. Edge. and
after learning the evidence in the
case, returned a verdict in conformity
with the facts as above stated. that
deceased came 10 his death from q
gun shot wound through the hands
of Budd Daily, accidentally.
The funeral services are to be held
today.
The victims home is in Lima town.
ship where mis- mother resides. Hi:
father died some years ago.
The case is a sad one and his death
is deplorable one. Everyone in tbs
community is greatly wrought W
naturally over the occurrence.