Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-04
SHOT BY PLAYMATE
Glare Baker Killed Saturday by
Accidental Discharge of Rifle.
The BULLET LODGED IN HIS BRAIN
Eleven Year Old Son of Mr.. and Mrs.
S. D. Baker Meets Tragic Death
Was Shot by Arthur Mccune, One
of His Young Playmates.
From Mandar,s DnllY

From Mondays Daily.
Clare Baker. the 11-year-old son of
Mr.. and Mrs. S. d. Baker. who reside
at 442 North Jefferson street, was ac
cidentally shot by Arthur McCune one
OF his playmates, late Saturday after
noon, and died three hours later in
the Ottumwa hospital, never having
regained consciousness. The sad ac-
cident occurred near Garrison Rock
few miles east of the city for which
place the two boys, with two COM
panions, had started ON a hunting eX-
petition. They We're armed with two
rifles, one of which was loaded, but
had failed to explode several times
when the trigger was pulled The
boys had pointed their rifles at each
other in spirit of playfulness, and
pulled the triggers, and on one fatal
occasion the McCune boys gun explod-
ed and Clare Baker fell to the ground
mortally wounded. He was brought
to the city on switch engine and
taken to the Ottumwa hospital where
everything that was possible was done
to save his life but the efforts of the
physicians were unavailing. 1t was
found that the ball had entered in the
center of the forehead and lodged in
the brain The parents of the victim
of the unfortunate accident are pros
trated with grief.
Met Tragic Death.
The accident happened near the
Rock Island tracks, a short distance
from Garrison Rock Arthur McCune,
who is the son of Mr.. and Mrs. John
T. McCune, with Robert and Horace
Maynard, the sons of Mr.. and Mrs. H,
B. Maynard, left their homes early in
the afternoon in company with the
youth who met with such tragic
death. The boys were going to CARR
son Rock to spend the afternoon
hunting bilas' nests and they carried
two % rifles. One of the rifles was
not loaded and the other one was
loaded but would not explode after
several attempts had been made to
discharge it. For this reason the boys
had become careless, thinking that the
gun was broken and could not be dis
charged When the fatal shot was
fired the boys were pointing the guns
at each other and both pulled the
triggers, when the gun carried by the
McCune boy went off and Clare Baker
| lGll W Jllc SIOuuu ulOl Idliy WouhuCu
and unconscious.
Boys Were Terror Stricken.
! The boys were terror stricken when
! they saw the result of the rash act
and young McCune was frantic wher
I he saw Las playmate lying uncon
scious, stricken down by the deadl.
rifle bullet The two Maynard boys
We're compelled to watch the unfor
tunate little fellow closely, as he
threatened to shoot himself when he
witnessed the result of his careless
ness.
Unconscious Until Death.
The boys, however, displayed great
Island switch engine, which carried the
wounded youth to this city. The am
bulance was at once called and re
sponded Immediately, but stretchel
was procured and the wounded boy was
carried to the hospital Drs. l.. j
Baker, D. c. Brockman and A. o. Will
liams were Immediately summoned
and made an examination of the in
jury, but they saw that nothing coulG
be done, as the bullet was lodged il
/ the brain Glare Baker passed ava.
at 6 o'clock Saturday evening, having
remained unconscious until his death
Lay Flowers on casket.
The remains were taken to the resi-
dence on North Jefferson street ant
all day yesterday the playmates of thu
unfortunate youth, who had come tt
such an untimely end, called to take ;
- lat1 f,;n j,
j lay flowers on his casket. Tear
dmmed the eyes of the children a
they saw their comrade, with whom
they had associated in school and il
play, lying cold in death.
4 Was Universally Loved.
j Glare Gordan Baker was boy VIII
was beloved by all his companions
He was of bright, sunny disposition
and was universally loved by his play
mates and teachers. He attended tn
! Adams school and was in the siXtl
grade His death comes as a shoe
to his many friends and the friends 0
the family.
Parents Are Grief Stricken.
The news of the fatality came as
shock to the parents of the decease
and they are grief stricken over tn
suddenness of the tragic death of thei
son. The sympathy of the entire con
munity is extended to them in thei
bereavement. The funeral service
will be held at the residence, A
North Jefferson street, Tuesday morn
ing at 10 o'clock and will be cor
Quoted by Rev. j. HOLSTER Lynch
rector of Trinity Episcopal church
The remains will be laid to rest in tn
Ottumwa cemetery.
LOUIS RoMER KILLS HIMSELF