The sun., 1901-09-03
TRAGEDY ON
WEST SIDE
S. ]. White, Jr.. Killed by Ex-
ploding Shell.
In THE HOME OF A. S. REED
He and Garrett Reed Were Prepar-
ing for Il Cunning Trip When
the Premature Explosion
Occurred.

By the premature explosion Of II
shell in thu home Of Architect s. Reed,
No 1924 Adams street, Samuel j. White,
known carriage mnrilflct,lrrr, was III
most instantly killed last night Owing
To the different >tnfi,.s rcgHrdln" the
tragedy there was u my Strr" surrounding
i last nlgli which vii! no doubt he
cleared this morning. On account Of the
great excitement ut the Eoils. AMI the
extremely ae: vous conditit,n Of the only
witness. Garrett Reed, son ~ 4 S. Reed.
.hA cA;ct n count of the affair coald MOI
lie learned last night.
! he facts OF the ease 50 III. aS could
ln learned. were that til" unfortunate
Ln: visited ms friend euriy in the even.
ing. The two young men went To the
front third story room together. \ short
time later or about 7.30 O'clock tho Reed
family and people in the neiglborhoo1
heard loud explosion. Al the time or
the explosion 4. 5. Reed had Just finish
ed his supper and was seated in the sill
ting room reading. Richard Reed. his
oldest son, with his friend. Albert fart.
On hearing the noise Mr.. Reed jumped
up and ran up stairs followed by his
son. When lie got 10 the third floor he
met his son, Garrett, standing in the halt
holding llp White who was then
almost dead. Just AS Mr. Reed reached
them both fell to the floor. Mr.. Reed
pulled his son away and got pillow 10
place under the injured hoy's head from
which the blood was flowing freely. Dr
Henry w. Briggs Of No. 1926 jackson
street the nearest physician. WAS sum
inoncd at once. Coroner's Undertaken
james I. Chandler was telcphoned tn
and DR.. Evan q. Shortldge and DIR.
Willard Springer, MIR. Whites family
physician, were also called. Dr. Briggs,
was The first TO arrive. bnt only Il
time to see the boy breath his last.
In Il frw minutes those III the house
and neighborhood were thrown into \,
great state Of excitement. Mr. White
had been Immediately sent for and N
rived at the Reed home in Il few min
utes. Mr.. White only remained short
time and then returned home to break the
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
the dead boy.
In the Reed home the grief mt the un,
Fortunate and sudden accident was pitt
ful. 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 al Elcv-
enth and Adams streets. Young Garrett
Reed, who witnessed the accident, was
On the verge of nervous collapse ana
could talk To no one of how ii occurred
He WAS sent to the home Of Il ncighbor
Mrs William I. Porter. to get him awa.s
from the excitement. Mr.. Reed was
nearly broken down and was constantly
walking from the porch and back.
DIR. Briggs was seen after he had left
the house but was unable to throw mncl
light on the manner in which the boy W;l%
killed DR.. Briggs stated the loud from
the shell entered the head under the
right jaw and cut large artery. The
hoy he said bled to death. He said tn"
boy was lying in the hall when he arrived,
and gaspcd his last breath Il few sec
onls later. He stated that there was II
breech loading gun III the room where
the tragedy happened. To intict such 4
wound. Dr. Briggs said. the gun would
have to be held under the chin.
Coroner's Undertaken Chandler, who
soon arrived and examined the room.
was of the opinion that young Whit"
was killed hy the explosion Of shell.
but that 10 shell was not in gun when
it exploded. He said that the only gun
IN the room was IN the closet and tllai
il was very dirty and evidently had not
been shot off for long time. Mr.. Chand
lrr said there were fragrantS OF ~
eypodpd shcll on the floor, on the VIII.
dow sill and on the screen where pal
Of the load went out Ills opinion i
that one OF the boys had the smell ~
his hand when the cap was accidrntlN
touched. causing il TO explode. There
was also II large horse pistol on ihn
bureau, but Mr.. Chandler stated i had
not been used for sometime IN m
allcst will probably be held today.
1t was II first reported that another
ono Of Mr.. Reeds sons, Archibald, .lr.,
wos nlso IN the room nj the time but I
was later stated that he WIS not N thf
house. The dead boy and Jarrett ltetd.
were both about IA years old anu hnd
heeu bosom friends for years, Inc uc
ceased was ut the Reed home almost
every day, and was almost the same Y
i member Of tile family. II was reported
Ithat the Young men We're preparing =
10 cumming today but the rnmor colllt
moi lie verified. The body Of the dcceaset
was removed to the home Of his grl"l
stricken parents