The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-04
Terrible Tragedy Occurs in the Roller
Family at Denver.
William, the Eldest Son, Is Killed
BY Rifle Ball.
Bullet Penetrates His Heart, He Dies
Within Five Minutes.
Young Men Engaged in Target Prac'
tice at Their Home.
From Thursdays Daily.


Mankato friends of Mr.. and Mrs. j. G.
Roller will be panied to learn of the ter
rible accident which befell one of their
sons. he having been shot accidentally
by another son, the tragedy occurring
on Sunday afternoon. The Rocky Noun
tain News of Denver contains the fol-
lowing particulars of the dreadful at
fair:
.'By the accidental discharge of TWEEN
ty-two- caliber target rifle in the hands
of his brother, William G. Roller, the
eighteen year-old son of j. G. Roller,
dealer in school supplies, whose place of
business is at 1922 Arapahoe street, was
shot through the heart and killed short
ly after noon yesterday, at the family
residence. 1884 Williams street. For the
past three months William Roller has
been employed as an elevator pilot in the
California building, having served in the
same capacity at the Joslin Dry Goods
company's store previously.
"The boys. William and George, the
latter only twelve years old, were in
dulging in target practice in the rear of
their home. a neighbor, Ernest Goltz,
was with them. William was arranging
the target, while George was sitting
on the back porch, about ten yards dis
tant. with the rifle across his knees. In
some manner the weapon was discharged,
the bullet passing through the fieshy part
of Williams arm and penetrating his
heart. William lived about five minutes
after the shooting. He made his way in
to the house, the blood gushing in tor
rents from his mouth, and sat down on
a lounge He had picked up wash basin
on his way through the kitchen, and this
he held on his knees 1t was nearly fill
ed with blood. 1t was not long before
he lost consciousness and fell back on the
lounge. He died before the physician,
who had been summoned, arrived
1T was not known at that time that
William had been shot, his parents and
brother supposing that he had been at
tackled with a hemorrhage. A search was
made for the possible wound, but none
was discovered. The coroner was mott
fed and took charge of the body, and it
was at the undertaking rooms that the
wound was discovered and the cause of
death ascertained.
"The mother was postrated by her
sons death. She became hysterical and
it was found necessary to administer
opiates to calm her. She is in serious
condition and is being cared for by her
husbands neice, Mrs. G. S. Norton of Ill
South Grant.
'sMr. Roller was sitting on his front
porch when the accident happened. 4
heard no shot, he said yesterday after
noon, 'and the first thing I knew of the
accident was through my younger son,
George, who came running around the
side of the house, saying William was
sick. 1 went through the house and saw
William sitting on a lounge with a
wash basin on his knees. The blood was
pouring from his mouth in torrents, and
the basin was nearly filled. When 1 saw
the quantity of blood I knew his end
was near, and l tried to get him to talk
He never said a word. Presently he be-