The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-17
DR.. MATHEWS
SON KILLED
BY the Acc dental Discharge
of Shotgun.
SIDE OF FACE TORN AWAY
Parents of the Boy Camping
Out in Colorado.


Red0lph. il company with three other
boys about his own age, we're out hunt
ing AZ the tine the accident occurred
Re had just gotten out OF The buggy in
which the boys had been riding and had
taken his gun with him. Apparently ne
struck the butt Of the gun on the ground
and IN 50 doing discharged it. The shot
struck him on the left side OF the chin.
tore away TIE entire left side OF his
face and The lcft side OF the skull in
front Of the ear, with the exception Of
the socket OF the eye That organ was
'uninjured- The boys mouth vas slightly
burned BY the powder and his shirt was
set on FIRE. showing that the gun was
very close TO him
The seapon was a No. 10 double bar
relied shot gun An examination OF the
gun showed that one chamber had been
fred eff and that the hammer had struck
the cap OF the other shell, but not with
enough force TO discharge It.
The three boys IN company with Ro-
ooiph a. the time OF the fatal accident
were George Matthews. Jr., his cousin
son OF George Matthews, 324 waco ave
nue.; Fsorique CogdeI. son Of Richard
Cogdeu, 31E Waco avenue, and Paul Dean,
son OF L A Dean, I2l2 North Carlos.
Strange 20 say. none Of the boys can
state exactly how the accident was caus-
ed, as noEs were looking az their COM
rade when he was shot
Paul DEAN said last night when asked
about the accident.
We four boys went hunting this after
noon. driving west on Thirteenth street
over the Arkansas river bridge. in a
two-seated buggy I had z single bar
relied shotgun Rodolph had double bar
relied shot gun. and George had a =
rife After driving across the bridge we
saw flock Of blackbirds aud fred one
shot al them, not hitting any. We then
turned and drove east on Thirteenth
street Upon crossing the bridge we
stopped the horse and Rodolph and I
started to get out of the buggy. George
had climbed out and gone onto the bridge
already Rodolph climbed out OF
the buggy taking his gun with him
and was Just getting ready 70 get out
I was sliding towards the edge OF the
seat when I felt a current OF air 90
past ny face. and then heard a report
Looking around I saw RodcIph lying on
the ground Before the discharge OF
the gun I thought 7 heard something
strike the ground. which think was
the gun This. I believe. caused the dis
charge
I climbed out Of the buggy. called
Help Help" and ran towards town
AS I ran I met a woman In a buggy and
asked her II she could go with me for
\ doctor She said she could not. but
would take me 10 someone who could
She took ne TO the home OF Mrs. John
ATberts- Her daughter hItched Up the
horse and buggy as quickly as possible. 4
and she and I went 70 a grocery store on
the corner OF Market and thirteenth
where We telephoned for an ambulance.
We then went 10 Topeka avenue and got
d. Palmer. He went back with US q
where the injured boy lay. but ne was
dead"
George Matthews Jr. told the following
story last night.
This afternoon Fabrique CogdeH and
I went 70 my cousins house about 3.33
O'clock He had made arrangements %
80 hunting with Paul Dean and another /
boy. The other boy did not come around. /
50 We went with him we drove over 4
u Paul's house. got him. ard then drove /
across TIE Thirteenth street bridge IN /
8. short time We turned back. AID after /
crossing the bridge tied the horse I /
took my gan. y rifle which belonged I
20 my cousin Rodolph and went onto N, 1
bridge II shoot q bird which was on 2 4
wire heard q report. and turning (
around 7 saw that Ro6olph had been /
shot. Someone called for help and then +
the other TWO boys ral down tae road 4
! went 20 where RodoIph lay. and saw,
that the side CT his face had been blown 4
Of His shirt was on nre and I put cut
the IRE. noticed thar the single barrel
&c shot gun was leaning against the 4
dashboard of the buggy. and as I re-
member IT, the other shot gun was lying 4
on the ground / hid the two guns SO
nc enc would steal them and then ran n
mile and hair 70 Rodclph's home and
told his C9ll1s about the accident
FabriQue CaSdsI could tell little about
the death Of his comrade. He was seat
Cd II The rear seat OF the busy at the
time It occurred ana was looking IN ar
opposite direction from that in which
Rodolph stood. Re did not Sc The boy
fau. and as soon as he learned that the
boy wEs shot he ran away from thc
scene Whsn the ambulance arrived the
remains we're taken 70 GaIs undertaking
Rooms
Mrs Georse Matthews Al aunt Of the
iIl-fated boy stated that Rodolph hal
been told oy his sister Maude. who ha5
chase Of the house IN the absence u
the doctor ana G-s. Matthew's. Who are
IN Colorado. not q take q san 1teh hin
When he droe away yesterday after
noon but THAI sh- had given him ashlrg
tackle- M-s. Matthews stated that she
did rot know th4t her ooy vas solas
hunting
Dr- and Ms. Matthews TIE parents
Of the dead boy. are camped II Camp
sser-y. in the mountains of Colorado.
whcre they have been spsnt.1s q vac
cation They are or TIE ralroaa une.
bet are within easy reach ~ reiag-aralc
communicate A telegram vas sent
20 them yesterday afyernocn. anprising
then of the fatal accsdent-snd thev Prob
abr have received #. As they are sone
distance from The railroad. rhey cannot
reach the city until Tuesday AZ the earii-
est 7 ~ Ara-rhFu-s - ~ 81 r-r ----.-
tsins hunting Il may be later than that