The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-02-28
LITTLE BOY SHOOTS BABY
Rudyard Foust, Four Years Old, Kills
His Younger Sister.
Mother Was in Adjoining Room in Their
Indianapolis Home when Trag-
edy Occurred.

indianapolis, Ind-After loading ev-
cry chamber in a heavy revolver, Rud-
yard Foust four years old. son of
wealthy parents in this city, deliber-
ately aimed at his sister. three years
old, and shot her through the brain
early in the morning. The case. is the
most remarkable in the records Of the
Police Department here. Although the
boy apparently plotted the crime. and
seemed to know exactly what he was
doing. all questioning since his sisters
death has failed to draw forth any
indication that he is aware of the
seriousness of his act.
Rudyard and the baby girl were play
ing in the nursery Their mother was
IN bed with severe headache in a
bedroom, from which through the open
door she could hear the movements of
the children. The servants had gone
out and there were only Mrs. Foust
and the little ones in the house.
Mrs. Foust says she heard a sharp
report, but that she had not the slight
est idea it was a pistol shot. She re-
NAMED in bed until Rudyard in few
minutes fottered in with the pistol in
his hand and his face bianched
Ma, Totties hurt, 2 said the hoy.
The mother sprang to the floor. and,
rushing into the nursery. found the
baby fat on her back with a bullet
hole in her forehead. Her brown
tresses were stained with blood. and
her face was crimson. Mrs. Fonst
lifted the tot in her arms and laid her
on cot. Then, still maintaining her
GOODNESS, she went to a telephone and
summoned physician. When the
doctor arrived he found the mother
crying in hysteria for her little one to
be given back to her. So great was
the shock that fear was held for Mrs
Eoust's condition, and she las beer TN
der the care of physicians all day.
All the details of the shooting have
been linked together by the police
Rudyard found the pistol ON shelf il
room off the nursery. The marks OF
his feet have been found on trunk
He climbed on the top of the trunk
and was just able to touch the revolver !
He pulled it off the shelf by putting his
second finger in the trigger guard. The
pistol was empty and the cartridges |
were taken from the trunk.
With an intelligence surprising ir
one so young, Rudyard fitted key tc
the lock and opened the heavy box |
He threw out many articles on the
floor, and, having come across the cart |
ridges, he sat down on the carpet anG |
began filing the chambers. His sister /
was watching him. Mrs Foust a few
minutes before the shot heard the chile
growing in delight, and it is thought |
that she was giving way to babyisl /
enthusiasm over Rudyard's adventure
When the revolver had been fully I
loaded and the chamber snapped into /
place the children returned to the |
nursery. From the boys story it has
been gathered that he was standing
three feet from his sister when he
fired. Experiments have shown thai
he had just strength enough to leve |
the weapon for an instant.
The baby died instantly. The buIlei |
went through the brain and was takeI
from the scalp at the back of the head |
1t is reasoned by the detectives thai
the boy must have pointed the weapon
straight at his victim, as the course OF |
the bullet is in a straight line through |
the head.
The boy was taken to Police Head |
quarters, but all questioning was use
less. He simply kept repeating that be |
did not know what had happened; thai /
he and f'Dottie" had been playing, anC |
that the gun had gone off and that theI |
she had fallen down. The little fellow |
was so totally unaware of the nature |
of the crime that the police say moth |
ing can be done.
In any event. no action would be
taken. as Rudyard is under the age foi |
legal charge The police, however !
are unable to reconcile the boys pre-
cociousness in opening the trunk an6 |
loading the revolver with his apparent
ignorance Of any wrongdolng Rud |
yard is exceptionally intelligent. al |
ready being able to read and write.