The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1903-09-12
n Most Distressing Accident
Maj Riddle Accidentally Kills
His Little Grand. son.

'J HSSiocntaIIN iN1iIS
His Little Grand. son.
A phone message from Fort
Lawn yesterday morning brought
the distressingly sad news to Ian
caster that our esteemed towns
man, Maj. j. NJ. Riddle, mana
ger of The Review, had accidentally
shot, and almost Instantly killed
his little grandson, II. j. Macko.
rell, Jr., of Yorkville, while
squirrel hunting in the woods on
Mr.. Jas. Blacks river bottoms
near Fort Lawn.
Maj. Riddle, hiss son, Mr.. James
Riddle, and his littlo graud son,
and Cube Riddle, col. whom they
carried with them, went over to
the river on the train the evening
before, camping out that night,
so rs to be ready bright and early
yesterday morning for the hunt.
1t was about s o'clock when the
accident happened. Mai. Riddle
was watching for a squirrel which
he had seen on tree on a very
steep hillside. Little Robby had
been left IN the valley some dis
tance below while the Major climb
ed the hillside. Watching intent
ly for the reappearance of the
squirrel in the tree, the Major
heard a sudden rustling in the
underground and on looking in
the direction of it was sure that
he saw the tail of squirrel, and
aiming little below it, fired.
Supposing he had killed squir-
rel he started to get it and was
Mortified when nearing the place
on hearing his little grand son say
"Grand-pa you've shot me-"
The little fellow had gone down
the valley short distance and
was doubtless endeavoring to
creep noiselessly through the un-
dergrowth up the hillside to wtere
his grandfather was, when pro-
bably little of his hair showing
from the undergro with was mis-
taken for squirrels tail. Mai.
Riddle took the little fellow up in
his arms and carried him to q
spring near by and bathed his
face. He apparently endeavored
to speak again but closing his
bright little eyes, all was soon
over. The distressed cries of the
almost distracted grandfather at
tracted his son and the colored
man who hurried to the scene,
reaching there just as the little
fellow breathed his last. The bo-
dy was carried on u quilt to the
railroad, distance of mile or
more, to await the arrival of the
train which brought it on to Ian
caster. In the meantime while
Maj. Riddle and the colored man
remained with the corpse, Mr..
James Riddle went up to Fort
Lawn and phoned the sad news
here, which was at once phoned
to the parents, Mr.. and Mrs. r.
j. Mackoreil, at YorkvilIe.
On the arrival of the l.. & G..
train the remains were taken to
the home of Maj. Riddle. The
sorely stricken parents arrived
an hour later on the train from
YorkvilIe.
Maj. Riddle was completely
overcome by the distressing acci-
dent and is confined to his bed
from the severe shock to his ner.
vous system. In his sad misfor-
tune the entire community deep
ly sympathizes with him. The
parents too have the heartfelt
sympathy of everybody in the
loss OF their bri g h t little
son, who was a general
tavorite in this community, where
he spent much of his time with
his grandparents. Bobby was 8
years old July 9th last, and was
an exceptionally bright boy. His
precociousness, affa 5ility and po-
likeness attracted everybody to
him and made everybody love
him. The little fellow will be
soralv p,iooo5