The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-11-27
BROTHER KILLSHlS SISTER
He Trips With Gun in Hand and
She is Shot in the Throat.
Lad Rides Five Miles Bareback Tor His
Father, But Their Return
Finds Her Dead.

Washington, N. J.-With his sister
lying dying in their home-shot by
himself-little Fred Stanley had to
leave her and ride to find aid. In
that ride he covered ten miles of
rough country in thirty-five minutes.
But, swift as he went, death was
sWifter. When he and his father
reached home, after the second mad
gallop, the girl was dead. Life must
have left her within a few minutes
after the frightened lad started on
his errand.
James Stanley is a farmer near
Johnsonburg. Frances. his daughter,
was eighteen years old, and the boy
boy Fred is fifteen. Fred always has
been fond of cunning, and has been
more careless, than the average boy in
the use Of firearms. A year ago he
handled shotgun so clumsily one day
that it was discharged, and his father
was shot in the leg.
The warning effect Of that incident
was only temporary, and recently Fred
has shown his old carelessness with
his gun. A few days ago he started
out after rabbits, his sister warning
him jollingly not to shoot any cows or
blow off his fingers. Sport was good
and Fred's bag was filed when he
got home at 6 o'clock.
Frances was lying on sofa. asleep,
with her baby sister on her arm.
"Hey, Fannie! See what I got!
can't shoot straight, can't II" shouted
Fred, as he ran into the room, In.
fated with his success.
She was rising to her feet, with a
warning, "Sh! don't wake baby"
when the eager boys toe caught in a
rip in the carpet. He pitched headlong
toward her. The gun flew from his
hands. In grasping at it he clutched
the trigger. There was report, tre-
bly, loud in the small room, a cry of
agony, and Frances, still with the
baby in her arms, fell back upon the
sofa.
Fannie! FannieT he cried, drop
ping on his knees by her side, Fan
ME! I didn't mean to - honest,
didn'tw
Her eyes already were glazing as
she looked at him. The only answer
to his words was the baby's wall.
Crying, Don't die, Fannie-please
don't-I'll be back in a minute with
father" the boy ran out and to the
barn. He felt that there was no time
to saddle a horse. He simply united
old Toms halter. jumped on his bare
back and away they went.
The boy knew that his father was
in Blairstown, FIVE miles away. Ind
down the road to that place he sent
old Tom at a. speed the nag never had
known before. Fred met his father ID
front of the postofice. One glance at
the boys face was enough for the
elder.
"Fannie-" he began.
81 shot her, dad, shot her" and
then, with boyish hope, "Oh, but she
amt dying. I know she won't die!'
In a second the father was on the
patient back of old Torn, thrustinS the
boy in front of him, and the horse
bearing this double burden galloped
hack as best he could, sometimes COM
ing to a walk in his weakness. only
to be goaded on by the father, whose
one thought was Of his daughters
suffering.
Stanley threw himself and the boy
off at the gate, dashing up to the
house, leaving old Tom to sink, ex-
hausted. in the road.
"rm here. Fannier' shouted the
father. "I'll have you all right IN a
minute. I'll-"
Then he stopped. The figure on the
sofa spoke no word, made no stir. A
great hole was in her throat. The
baby crawled toward him, wailing:
He snatched the little one to his breast
and dropped beside the girl. ne put
his hand across her mouth; no breath
stirred. He clutched at her heart; 1t
gave no beat Then he knew his loss.
The girl was buried without an In
quest, the Coroner not thinking one
necessary. One mourner was young
farmer of Independence. TOWNSHIP
who was to marry Fannie at Christ