Arizona republican., 1902-05-18
ACCIDENTLY KILLED
Milton Roy Rice the Victim of a g
 Calibre Rife.

One of the saddest incidents that can ever take place occurred last evening about 1:15 o'clock at Phoenix park, when Milton Roy Rice, the twelve year old son of MT. and Mrs. l.. J. Rice was accidentally shot in the head. and so seriously that he died two hours later.
 MT. and Mrs. Rice live in a house at the east end of the car line and MT and Mrs. Bunce and their son, thirteen years old live in a house just inside the park, Mir Bunce having a general supervision of affairs there and keeping a refreshment stand at the park en- l trance. MT. Bunce has been i'll for Q 1 day CT two and about ' o'clock last l evening MT. and Mrs. Rice went to call o1 him, leaving their son Roy at home. It transpired that he followed them as far as the park gate, for q few mfnutHs later Mir Rice heard a shot and rum ming out of the Bunce residence he found his son lying with his feet against the refreshment stand and his head away from it. The lad was un- conscious from the moment the gun ! was fired. He was placed or a cot and taken home, distance of only a few | hundred feet. Dr. Swetnam and Dr. Stroud were summoned. The former
 
 the dying boy. Dr. Stroud was not in his office and Dr. Craig answered his call, arriving a few minutes later. But there was nothing for either physician to do, for it was apparent from the di- l lated pupils, swollen eyes. and the | course of the bullet that human skill could avail nothing. The bullet was from q 22 calibre rifle and entered the top Of the head at the left of the med ian line, just above the forehead and about an inch back in the hair. It ranged downward toward the base of the brain, where it was imbeded. The brains were ooZing from the wound when tho physicians arrived.
 Just how the accident occurred will probably never. be known. The only eye witness was Frank Bunce, the play mate and bosom friend of the dead boy They had had no quarrel and Frank Twas % excited over the incident that if he really knew how it happened h. could not tell last night. He said last night that as soon as he saw Roy fall he ran to him and spoke but there was no answer, and then putting his hands over his face he ran weeping toward the house where he met Mr. Rice com ing out. There were conflicting stories Isl~l lIifS.il, GGCU ul4C ldISCly q SuDDOSb- ticn of the relator as tC how it might have happened. It is supposed that Frank was behind the counter, and : Roy in front of it. He said the weapon |, was in no ones hands and that it was leaning against the wall with the safe ty catch applied; that it fell down and was in some manner discharged Whether it was sitting on the counter or down on the ground could not be learned. In any event Roy must have been leaning toward the gun, else the bullet could not have penetrated the top of the head. But however it hap pencd Frank is exonerated from blame as il is said by those who were first or , the scene that he did net have the gur in his hands, and that there was posi- lively TO quarrel between the boys Frank Of course is suffering as sincere mental anguish a boy possibly could in the loss of his favorite playmate.
 Roy Rice is spoken Of by all who . know him as a most exemplary boy and as he was well known he had |.
 host of friends in the city, both old ant | young. His grief stricken parents vii , of course have the sincere sympathy O all. as well as the members of tn Bunce family, who, while blameless i, i. the matter. are necessarily unpleasant i; ly connected in the distressing occur renee.