The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-24
SHOT HIS GRANDSON
TEN-YEAR-OLD EDWARD GIBBEs
FATALLY WOUNDED.
BULLET FROM AN OLD PISTOL.
FIRED ACCIDENTALLY BY MIR. Ed
WARD J. THOMAS.

The Grandfather Almost Crazed
with Grief-NOung Gibbes Had
spent the Night With Him and
Yesterday Morning They Were
Shooting Revolver which the
Lad Had Found-One Chamber
would Not Work and in Trying to
Extract the Bullet the Weapon
Exploded The Ball Passed
Through the Boys Liver-MrS.
Gfbbes Is III ana Does Not Know
of the Accident.
Edward Huguenin Gibbes, 10 years
old, and the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles H. Gibbes, was accidentally
shot and probably fatally wounded BY
his grandfather. Mr.. Edward J.
Thomas. yesterday morning. The boy
is at the Savannah Hospital and al
though he was resting quietly at an
early hour this morning, his physi-
clans regard his condition extremely
critical and almost beyond hope.
The accident occurred soon after
breakfast at Mr. Thomas place just
west Of Bonaventure Cemetery. Young
Gibbes had spent the night with his
grandfather. Of whom he is passion
a.ely fond. After breakfast an old
revolver attracted his attention The
weapon had been in the house for
long time and 10 please his grandson,
Mr. Thomas took it into the yard for
the purpose Of shooting at a mark. The
revolver is of 81 caIibre and did not
work well -Four chambers We're emp
tied but the fifth cartridge refused to
explode.
Nr. Thomas snapped the last unex-
ploded cartridge several times without
effect. and than attempted TO remove
il from the chamber. He was in the
act Of breaking the pistol when in
some unaccountable way the hammer
vas pulled back and dropped again on
the cartridge. Where the plunger had
failed TO make an impression when he
wanted the cartridge TO explode. it did
its work at a moment when Mr.. Thorn
as would have given all he possessed
TO prevent it.
With the report OF the weapon young
Gibbes. who was standing a few feet
away. gave a cry and fell into the arms
OF his grandfather. The bullet had en-
tered his right side and passed through
the liver. Where it finally lodged the
physicians did not attempt to discover.
because of the boys condition.
The little sufferer. already I'M
conscious was tenderiy lifted into
the house by his grandfather A
messenger was sent to the city for DR..
r. J. Charlton, the family physician,
and he hurried to the bedside of the
wounded boy. DIR. J. c. Crowther was
also summoned.
After the physicians had made an
examination it was decided that the
boy should be brought to the city
His mother is i'll at her home in The
Meadows and DIR. Charlton decided
that the accident should be kept from
her because of her condition. A car
riage was secured and the little fellow
was taken to the Savannah Hospital
His father was at Isle of Hope, where
he was notified by telephone and
hurried to the city by special car.
The grief of the grandfather was al
most uncomfortable. The boy was his
idol. IF 1 had whitfield my affections
down to fine point, Eddie would have
been that point he said, after the ac-
cident. "It seems too terrible that such
a thing should have happened; that I
should have done it, and that the very
apple of my eye should be the one TO
suffer. 1 can't believe that it is true.
1t must be a nightmare; a cruel
dream. That a man of my years and
discretion, a man who understands
and realizes the danger of firearms,
could have done such a thing cannot
be true. My God! 1 can't believe it, If
this awful thing has happened it will
kill me, I win never live through it."
Mr.. Thomas remained at the hospital
with his grandson until afternoon.
when he went to his home with his
son. He remained there but little
while and returned to the hospital be-
forefore nightfall, where he remained
through the night hoping almost be-
yond hope that the life of the boy
would be spared. DR.. Charlton said
after leaving the hospital that there
is a slight chance for his recovery and
that is all
About year ago Master Gibbes was
the victim of a serious accident while
riding his pony on Wheaton street. The
animal slipped and fell with him, and
young Gibbes was hurled violently to
the ground. He sustained serious and
painful injuries at that time. but fin
ally recovered.