Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-10-03
SHOT BY COMPANION.
BOY OF TWELVE DIES
While Playing With Companions,
Herman Rick Was Shot in the
Back. Resulting In His Death.

| Herman Rick, the twelve year old
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Herman Rick on
the west side was shot and fatally
wounded Sunday afternoon by William
Champion sixteen year old playmate.
The shooting was purely accidental,
and was the result of the hammer of
the gun slipping from the control of
CHAMPION, causing the weapon to be
discharged. The injured boys COM
panions, realizing what had happened,
secured help and carried their insen-
| sib]e cOmrade to his home by the aid
of physician who was called. Every
thing that lay in the physicians power
| waS done to save the life, but the case
was hopeless, as the boys spine was
partly shot away, and shot had en-
tered the lungs; he lived but two
hours after he was shot.
The boys had been out hunting all
the afternoon, several Of them. They
| had found nothing to shoot in the line
of game, and passed away the time
shooting at marks within the city
limits just north OF the power house.
This sport grew tame and finding
nothing else to shoot at, they began
to throw up each others caps for tar
gets. Champion was doing most Of
the shooting, being the oldest in the
party, and had shot couple times at
n hot Suh of ifsE
threw his cap into the air, and Cramp-
ton made ready 10 shoot it.
He did not get proper aim, however,
and did not shoot, but asked the boys
to throw it up again. The weapon, a
twelve guage shot gun, was loaded
with fine shot, and was at full cock.
Just as the little Rick boy was
Strengthening up after picking up his
hat, the weapon was discharged,
Champions finger having slipped from
the hammer, which he was in the act
of letting down, and so render the gun
safe to handle. The full charge Of
shot entered the Rick boys back about
an inch to the center of the medlan
line, and just over one end of the right
kidney, making hole that one could
have thrust their hand into. The
two boys were only few feet apart
and the shot struck Rick with almost
as much force as bullet from rifle
would.
AS soon as the smoke had cleared
away, the boys saw their companion
lying upon the ground, and upon 60
ing up to him, saw what had happened,
and at once rushed hurridly for
physician. Champion dropped the
weapon and remained upon the scene
as though he could not get away.
Hastily summoning the first physician
they could reach the boys who had run
for help hastened back to their in
jured companion, and with the doctor,
carried him to his home near the
pumping station just north of the
Green Bay and Western railroad
tracks, where another boy had gone to
notify the parents that an accident
had happened.
Several physicians we're called, but
to no avail, as the boy was too badly
injured to survive, His death Oc-
Cured two hours after the accident,
and he was conscious only for mo-
ment, when he stated that the band
ages were too tight. His parents we're
almost overcome with grief; indeed,
so frenzied did the father become.
that he could hardly restrain from
injuring the Crampt boy.
There are several other children in
the Rick family who will mourn the
loss of the brother. The funeral was
to be held this afternoon, Tuesday.
At the coroner'S inquest held Mon
day afternoon, to which time it had
been adjourned after viewing the
body, the story of the accident was
brought out as given before. Testi-
mony was taken to determine whether
the accident was the result Of negli-
gent carelessnesS, or purely accidental.
There is no question but that the ac-
lcident was the result of carelesSnesS,
but it cannot be considered negligence
that brought about the demise of the
boy. It seems that something of this
character must happen every year, be-
fore boys and even grown men will use
/ precau tion in handling a gun.
Though it is good thing for boy
to know how to handle a gun, and il
is good training in being able to con.
troll their bodies, unless a boy il
first taught that he has an instrument
of death in his hands and unless the
boy has had drilled into his memorj
that some precaution is necessary ir
handling such weapon, it is almost
criminal negligence on the part of par
|ents who will allow their boys to use
such weapon. There is too much Of
the class of accidents similar to this
one, and many Of them could be done
laway with and prevented, would par.
eDtS see to it that their children are
given some idea of the nature OF the
instrument of death that is put into
their hands, and if parents would
teach the youngsters some simple
measures of precaution, there would