The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-03-20
Frank Bienstock, Of Town of Somers,
AccidentIy Shoots His Sister,
Little Emma Bienstock.
THOUGHT GUN WAS NOT LOADED.
Pull Charge Prom Shot Gun Enters the
Face of Little Girl and She Dies six
Hours Later Pathetic Tragedy

Little Emma Bienstock, the seven
year-old daughter of Mr.. ard Mrs.
Joseph Bienstock. of the town of
Somers, was shot and killed by her
brother, Frank Bienstock, Wednes-
day. The details of the shooting,
which was accidental, were not made
known until Thursday evening and the
coroner went out with jury this
morning to hold an inquest over the
mangled remains of the little girl.
The tragedy was a pathetic one.
One in which poverty and ignorance
played the important parts. The
Bienstock family resides on the old
w. J. Rhodes farm just this side of the
village Of Somers. The family, con-
ssting Of the father and mother and
ten children, resides in a little house
and on Wednesday, as the rainy
weather made it impossible for the
children to go to school, they had been
playing in the kitchen of the house.
A little before eleven O'Clock Frank,
aged fifteen, the oldest of the children,
went to one of the other rooms of the
house and secured his fathers shot
gun and carried it into the kitchen
where the other children were playing.
His mother, who was busy sewing,
shouted warning to the boy and
asked him if the gun was loaded. The
boy walked toward the door of the
house and as his mother called he
turned to examine the weapon: AT the
same time he pointed it at his little sis
ter, Emma, who was standing near the
door leading into the room where the
mother was at work. In some manner
the finger of the boy touched the frig-
ger Of the gun and it was discharged,
the entire charge striking the little
girl in the face. As the shot was heard
the mother rushed into the room and
caught the falling child in her arms.
The little girls face was mangled in a
terrible manner, every oneof the small
shot taking effect in the face.
The little child at once 1apsed into
Inconsistencies and failed to regain,
consciousness. Suffering almost in
human pain the little one was placed
in buggy and taken through the rain
to Somers, where the services of DR..
Valentine were secured. But the doc
tor was not able to do anything to save
the life of the little girl and she ex-
pired in her mothers arms while the
return trip was being made.
The accident was not announced to
the officials of the town, but returning
home with their dead the father and
motherSprepared the remains for burial
aud Thursday the father went to RAJ
cine and bought little coffin, in which
the remains were placed and they will
be buried at Racine tomorrow.
A reporter of the EVENING News
called at the house Thursday night
and the scene was aspathetic one. The
remains of the little child had been
devoid of furniture and a single cam
die burned on a rude board which
served as q table. In the adjoining
room the mother and children were
huddled together awaiting the return
of the father.
Almost crazed with grief the mother
told the story of the accident and
stated that they had been too poor to
employ an undertaken and for that
reason she had been forced to prepare
the remains of the little girl for burial.
She stated also that their condition IN
life was such that they were not able
to have the doctor come to the house to
treat the little girl and for this reason
they had been forced to take the dying
child through the rain to Somers.
The boy, who was the innocent cause
of the tragedy, is simple boy of if
teen and he seemed to scarcely know
the lawfulness of his deed. The other
little children were deeply affected by
the tragedy and each one has some
different story to tell of it,