Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-27
Leonard Poland, of Green
Mountain, Meets Instant
Death Sunday Evening
WAS INSPECTING SMALL RIFLE
Gun, In the Hands of George Meyer,
Stranger, Discharged and Bullet
Enters Polands Head - Dropped
Dead in His Tracks = Shooting Was
Purely Accidental.

The second terrible accident in the
Green Mountain neighborhood in a
week occurred Sunday evening at
O'Clock, when Leonard Poland, aged 49,
son of Edward Poland, weli-to-do
farmer living two and n half miles
north of Green Mountain, met instant
death by the discharge Of a 22-cali-
Der rifle, in the hands of George Meyer.
a stranger. Meyer was showing Poland
how the gun was taken apart, when it
was discharged. The ball struck Po-
land in the corner of the left eye and
passed thru the head, penetrating the
brain and causing the young man to
fall dead in his tracks. Meyer is in
no way blamed for the affair, and was
not placed under arrest. Deputy Sheriff
A. A. Nicholson and Coroner III. h.
snotrIy alter the shooting took place.
and decided that 1t was purely acciuen-
tai.
Young Meyer, who did the shooting,
was a MEMBER of band OF movers,
headed by Daniel Van Hooser. ASIDE
from Meyer the only other member Oh
the party was Van Hoosers son, i
young man about Meyers age. The men
were on their way from Wisconsin TO
Oklahoma. and had camped for the
day in the road, directly in front OF tue
home of Charles Sellers.
Late Sunday afternoon, Leonard,
Sydney and Floyd Poland started UP
the road north OF the Poland home. to
where the campers We're stopping. they
visited with Meyer and young van
Hooser for time, and all started out
to shoot ground squirrels, going down
the road toward the Poland home.
Leonard Poland was interested in
small Quackenbush rifle that Meyer
carried, and wanted to know whether
or not the skeleton stock was detach-
able. Meyer explained that it was.>
and the boys stepped into the Sellers
yard and on the stock scales, to ex-
anime the gun. Meyer had the butt
end between his legs. with the muzzie
up Directly in front of the muzzle
and Poland fell back dead.
The ball had entered the outer corner
Of the left eye penetrated the brain,
and passed thru the head, coming out
above the left ear.
a correspondent of the T.-R. was
among the first to arrive at the scene of
he shooting. and talked with both
Meyer and the senior Van Hooser
Young Meyer was heartbroken. and sat
hear the camp wagon crying. Charles
Sellers, on whose place the shooting
ook place. returned home just before
he accident occurred. He sent for a
physician, to make sure that the lad
vas dead, and the doctor pronounced
hat death had been instantaneous. The
BODY was removed to the Poland home
where it remained untouched until the
arrival OF Coroner Nichols.
The entire Poland family is COM
,letely Frustrated by the terrible affair
Yrs. Poland the boys mother. who has
,een an invalid for number Of years,
suffered greatly from the shock. Young
'oland was the eldest son of a family
Il nine children. He has two older +
listers, Mrs. George Conant, living near
sladbrook. and Miss Vivian Poland,
Who resides at home.
Meyer is Sorry.
George Meyer, accompanied by Mr.. /
AN Hooser, on the request OF the dep
ty sheriff, came to the sheriff's office
his morning. In the presence of Sher
L Hutson, Cornoer Nichols and a T.-R.
eporter, he again went over the story
+ the accident as given above. The
hook of the tragedy had left it's trace
lainly marked upon Meyers young
nd handsome features. He expresse}.
he greatest regret but told q perfect
rank story. He said he knew the gun
yas loaded but could not imagine how
came to explode. Van Hooser was
BILE to verify a great deal of the story,
) the entire satisfaction of the officers.
tho questioned both closely. Meyer is
n orphan and is going with the Van
[oosers to their new home in Okla
ona.
Poland is Satisfied.
Edward Poland. the father of the
cad boy, is thoroughly satisfied that
lie shooting was purely accidental, and
as no desire to prosecute the young
ian who held the gun. He learned
ON his other two sons who were
resent. the details of the shooting and
Deputy Sheriff Nicholson stated he
i'd no desire to take any action.
Az EcrhoiIcL pEDAiD ccuNp