Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-03-19
UNFORTUNATE
ACCIDENT

John Kranrr af Ea.f UauviIIa while
out cunning Tuesday afternoon was
very seriously injured Nv an accidental
shot from "a companion auH.
In company with Melvin Ri.Hel and
Alouzo krum shortly after noon boz
started for the river tH shoot ducks
The accident occurred while rnturu-
ing about 3 O'Clock The party wa-
passing through Toby Ran hollow
when they -rind a flock of crows
The birds afforded % dun target a-
they circIed around overhead and
young Ri-bcl decided to give them q
shot His gun was Of tHe breech load
ing sort II was necessary for him 20
reload and he had just Inserted the
shell and was -priuziug fhe barrel
back into position when the load went
of prematurely. the entire discharge
Of powder and shot taking effect in
Mr. Kochcr's back entering just below
the right shoulder blade.
The young man was very seriously
injured. He was unable % proceed on
foot and his companions secured the
services Of farmer residing near by
the name Of John Derry, who hitched
up one Of his horses aud drove tire in
jurrd man 10 his home on Bloom road
Or. J. Il. kImerer was called. who
soon saw that the injury was n very
critical one. He made no attempt 20
probe for the powder and shot but ad-
vised that the patient br taken to the
Mary VI. Packer Hospital at Sunhury
for treatment
The injured man was taken to sun
bury on the ~ train bv Dr. Kimer-
or, accompanied by Frank Girton. The
doctor was fearful that the load might
have penetrated the right lung At
the station the patient suffered CON
siderably and seemed to b. threatened
with a hemOrrhagp
The injured young man j. twenty
five years Of age. He - a son Of Simon
Kochcr, the wrll-known blacksmith
DR.. J. II. Himerpr. who accompanied
John Kocher. accidentally shot by q
companion, TO the Mary VI. Packer
Hospital on Tuesday evening returned
70 Danville yesterday morning DR.
Kimercr states that when be left the
hospital the patient was resting easily
although the gun-shor wound j. Of =
very serious character
The injured man was standing quite
near the gun when il was accidentally
discharged, 30 near that his clothing
was burned by the powder The con
tents of the she'll, including the wads
as well as fragments Of clothing.
which were carried along by the load.
were embedded in his back in the re-
gion of the right shoulder Ilade.
On Tuesday night the doctors sue
ceeded in extracting the most Of the
foreign matter including ninety three
grains of shot The shoulder was
found TO be- terribly lacerated and the
patient. if he RECEIVERS, will be badly
crippled for life. The large muscle
of the shoulder region was nearly sew
cred by the shot. while the shoulder
blade or scapula was reduced to frag
ments and had 20 BE- removed.
The patients easy condition ye>ter-
dav was taken aS favorable indiCa-
tion and it j. thought thar he may
pull through, if no complications
arise. The doctors have not been able
to determine whether or not any Of
the shot passed through the lung. or,
what Is worse, lodged in that organ.
Should this have occurred the case
would prove very critical indeed. In
the absence Of positive information 20
that effect. however, thr physicians
are hoping for the best
Mr. and Mrs. Simon Kocher, father
and mother Of the injured young man,
spent yesterday with him at the Mary
VI. Packer Hospital