The Somerset reporter., 1901-11-28
Ga Sualties Tncrea sed

SHOWS that even Names stringent law
has been without effect. More men mis-
taken for game have been killed or
previous year. Five were killed out
right or fatally wounded. In addition,
| there have been cases Of mysterious
shooting and numerous accidents. Fol-
lowing are the cases of accidental shoot
ing in Maine thus far heard Of
Eugene Wilson of Jonesboro, y, while
cranserrying, was shot through the arm
by Daniel w. Upper, Sept. 20, having
| been mistaken for bear Two bones
were shattert d.
Vim. Bowley of Skowhegan vas shot
at West Hastings brook, Ger. Il, BY +.
l.. Vail, Houlton lawyer. BowIey wore
soft hat, the hunter mistahng it for
the ears OF deer.
Henry McPheters of Milford. 40, WAS
shot aud instantly killed by Leslie Nc
Pheters of Elliotsville, Oct. Il, beirg
mistak for bear.
w H. Tricky of Daytou, o., was shot
and killed in the Moosehead Lake region,
Nov. 5, by j. O.. Hostaler Of Dayton,
bullet passing through the Ianmafs
| p'h1 ny II lI't anu IllhliA
striking Trckey.
Dana Leavitt of Bridgton, aged, 30
while cunning Oct %, in the woods was
accidentally shot by Geo. Robinson,
heavy huckshot entering his abdomen.
Leslie Bowker of Marshfield, while
cunning near Great Falls, five miles
above Whitneyyille, in Washington
county, was fatally and it is believed
accidentally shot.
Frank Leonard, Is, of Frankfort, by
the accidental discharge Of a shot gun in
the hands of Thomas Col0on, eompan-
! ion, aged Is, was shot Oct. l6.
Near Jefferson pond, Jefferson, John
q. Weeks of Boston was shot, Oct. 9, by
the accidental discharge of his gun TT
ceiVing injuries from which he died.
In Waite township, Oct. lG, John Rip
| ley, 46, was shot by accident while TAX
ing his gun from its case.
Another case of shooting as mysterious
as that of Leslie Bowker occurred in
Somerset County. Cecil Chase WAS driv-
| ing in his wagon in West Pittsfed hen
ne received shot from gun in the
hands of some unknown person. The
bullet passed through his nostris below
the bone so that no bones were broken,
but it affected the sight of one eye.
Edward j. Berry, Is while in the
woods in Cornville, bad bullet put
through his cap and another through his
coat on the left shoulder
In May field, Nathaniel Gerald had just
reached home after serving a term in
Jail for illegally shooting moose and had
started out to hunt deer when he was
shot through the leg by some unknown
person, serious wound being made
A new feature In the falls casualties
is the numerous instances where the
shooting was done by unknown persons.
1t is not known that there will be any
prosecutions under the law.
The Boston Herald has the following
ia recent number
correspondent of Forest and Stream
writes very interesting letter on this
question, and one which may be we'll
considered by the huntsmen and the
guides. He calls attention to man who
was shot while up a tree watching for
deer, and he says that this shows very
serious condition of affairs, for, with the
woods full OF hunters armed with power
full rifles, using smokeless powder, about
the only safe place for man was in "A
tree, and, il the hunters had begun to
fire into the treetops for deer, it was
! time some steps were taken to lessen the
danger.
This correspondent thinks that the sit.
uation was bad enough when the black
| powder-propelled ball was used, but he
| we'll says: Who can tell where the
steel jacketed, small-bore rifle ball will
| find its resting place? With hunters
using rifles Of such power, no one is safe
in the woods or on lake in any part of
| the country where deer hunters are to be
found. In his opinion, the introduction
of the small.bore, smokeless rifle in the
woods has made deer shooting rs serious
for the hunter as for the hunted. He
then asks how many times man kills
his deer in the woods a hundred yards
away, and how many times deer are
killed in the brush or underground 200
| yards away. Ii practically all the deer
killed are shot at distances varying from
fifty to a hundred yards, why is it neces-
sarY TO use rifle that would kill at two
miles?
he argues that, on the plains and
among the foothille, where three aud
even four hundred yard shots are made,
the modern rifle, with its low trs iectory,
is the right thing in the right place, bu
there is no need of using such arms 10
Silpol ueeT III Jne tIllck WOODS ana u0Qel-
brush, where the bullet may find rest
lng-place 10 some hunter who is long
distance away and entirely out of sight
of the man who is doing the shooting.
lie thinks that, if maimings or killings
were charged up against the man behind
the gun as manslaughter it would make
hunters more careful before they fired
at something in the woods that looked
like deer moving. The great trouble
with this last proposal is that, if man
should shoot another, he might be tempt
ed to try to escape and leave his victim
without assistance. But il does seem as
though there was some good common
sense in his argument that there is no
nee ssity for using rifle that will kill ; t
two miles to hunt in woods where the
longest shots seldom exceed hundred
yards. The huntsmen themselves shout
not object to some such provision being
made for their own safety. Unquestion-
ably, people are now prevented from
going into the woods in the hunting sea-
son by the very large number of acct
dents caused by stray bullets and hot
headed, inexperienced and careless hunt
ers.