Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-07
Small Hope is Entertained for Her
Recovery.
TRADGEDY ENACTED NORTH OF TOWN
Revolver Would Not Work at Right
Time But Was Discharged While
Boy Was Handling 1t and His Play
mates Death May Result.

While playing with revolver, Wand
the 14year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Thos. Millard, who reside on the Hard
soeg farm north of the city, accidently
shot his S-year-old sister, Mabel, in the
forehead and but little hopes are en-
tertained for her recovery. 1t seems
that the boy was standing just outside
an open window shooting at box with
a 22-calibre revolver. He had already
shot several times and observing his
little sister just inside the window he
called for her to come and see him
shoot bird that was near by. The
little girl ran to the window and was
standing just inside when the accident
occurred.
The boy in speaking of the accident
said: Well l Just can't tell exactly
how it did happen; it all seems so ter
rible to me. | had Just pointed the re-
volver at a box that was in the yard,
but when l pulled the trigger the re-
volver did not explode. l was holding
it up in front OF me in both of my
hands looking to see why the cartridge
did not explode and the first thing |
/ knew it went off and | heard Mabel
scream. 1t made me shut my eyes and
| didn't know ut first where it had
struck. do not know how it happen
ed to go off,,
( The shock frosp, the bullet was not
sufficient to knock the. little girl down.
4 She turned around to her mother who
/ was standing but few feet away and
cried 20 Mamma" and ran to where
her mother was standing. The WIN
dow tt1n rirI ty.ic 3f tho tif1op nf
the shooting is an unusually low one
to see out of it She was facing the
boy and the bullet entered her fore
head above the right eye just below
the edge of her hair and ranged al
most straight down. A doctor was
hastily summoned and probed for the
! bullet but was unable to extract it.
| Owing to the fact that the bullet had
passed SO near the brain it was neces-
sary to use great care in trying to
locate it.
/ The revolver with which tie shoot
ing was done Goes not appear to be
much more than a toy. 1t is of twon
ty-two calibre, rim fire and has double
action 1t is even smaller than the
usual weapon of this calihre, the bar
Gcl aDelHS5 SSiy SliSll w tCu VIC CS
saw what had happened he proceeded
at once to smash the revolver and sue
ceeded most thoroughly in SO doing
) The entire family is stricken with
grief on account of the terrible affair
and although everything possible is
being done for the little sufferer there
are but slight hops for her recovery
Mr.. Millard is but little known il
Ottumwa. He is employed by Martir
Hardsocg on his extensive farm jus
north of the city and resides on thu
place. The little girl was favoritt
+ among the members of the family
and their neighbors, and the creates
sympathy is felt for those so suddenl,
:. stricken with great misfortune.
The little girls condition is sucl
l that it inspires but little hope. Witt
t bullet in her head in such clos
/ proximity to her brain, it is next t.
i impossible to extract it without injur
| ing the brain itself and this woul
: probably cal ,e death instantly.