Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-29
STORY OF SHOOTING
Curtis Deems Heartbroken Over
Killing of His chum, Ar
thur Willhite.
NOW IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION
victim Dies in Arms of His Com
panion-Coroner's
Inquest.

Coroner Norton, of Muscatine. con-
Quoted the inquest over the body of
Arthur WilIhite, news of whose kill
iAg in Drury township was given in
/ Mondays Argus. The verdict: I'VE
the jury. find that Arthur Willhite
came to his death on the 26th day of
october, 1902, ON the Illinois bottom.
SIX miles from Muscatine, Ia. as a
result of the accidental discharge Of
shotgun in the hand of Gurus Deems.
Signed: II. $. Howe, John Powers,
Martin Havercamp.'
The first witness called was Willie
hrider, who was with the boys when
the accident occurred.
My name is William Krider; aged
II years; live about , miles from the
city. Left home after dinner with
Curtis Deems and Arthur Willhite.
who came to our house and asked me
TO go hunting. Had been out about
an hour when the accident happened.
Stopped en- the way home at hay
stack. We sat down to rest: stopped
there about Is minutes. Arthur Will
hlte proposed to go rabbit hunting
and picked up his gun to start. His
gun had been standing against the
hay stack. Deems picked up the gun.
Deems tried to catch him. Had pick
ed the gun up first. Both boys had
taken few steps from the stack.
Deems had hold of the barrels of the
gun in front of the hammers. While
holding the gun in his hand it went
OFF, striking Willhite in the left side
He fell, but said nothing after he was
shot. He got up but fell again.
Never spoke again after being shot
| knelt down beside him so see if he
was dead. | then ran over to the lake
and called Billy Eraunwrath He
answered me, and came soon after
The body was first taken to Braun
warth's to have the wound dressed
Braunwarths place * below the
mouth of the Fourth slough. Deems
threw up his arm and ran around
crying Poor Art" WiLlhite lived only
few minutes.
Deems Gives Version.
The jury went to South Muscatine
and viewed the remains of Arthur
Willhite. after which they went to the
home of Curtis Deems and took his
evidence, which was as follows:
| am p years of age. On Sunday.
Oct. 20. at 1890, !, with Arthur Will
hite. went to Illinois. hunting We
first went to Mr.. Krider's home in
Illinois. and asked for Willie Krider.
to go with us. We hunted for one and
Il half hours before starting back to
Krider'S home. On the way back we
came to hayStack and stopped to
rest Il few moments. We remained
there about Il half hour. when young
krider said to come on, he would
show us place to hunt rabbits.
Arthur put on Il pair of mittens and
said to me in fun. Il guess I'll have to
hand you one" His gun was against
the haystack. My gun was in my
right hand. He stepped in front of
me. and commenced to box with me, |
and my gun went off. Don't know |
which barrel went off. how it hap |
Pened. When / last looked at it was |
not Cooked The discharge knock |
ed WiIlhite down. He got up stagger-
ed and fell down again. The Krider boy |
ran to the lake and | went TO Will |
hite and picked him up in my arms |
and tried to talk to him. He could not |
speak He died in my arms Il few
minuter afterwards. The gun was
held in one hand. My hand was on