Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-09-22
WAS VERY SAD ACCIDENT
Miss Otty Killed BY Rifle In Hands
Of Little Ben Fiery
LAO WAS PLAYING WITH GUN
Weapon Was Discharged In Some
Manner, and the Bullet Struck the
Young Lady In Left Temple.

Young Lady In Lett Iemple.
Oce Of the most distressing acct
dents that has taken place in this city
for many years occurred at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs S. V. Fiery, on West
king street. Sunday evening about
O'Clock. when their son, Benjamin,
dad of 12 years. shot and instantly
killed Miss Azzie Shepherd Ottv. 1
daughter of Mrs Henry Otty, who is
the housekeeper at the home OF Mr..
Fiery.
The fatal accident took place in the
room of the dead girls mother, and
was witnessed by Miss Ella Ottv. sis.
ter of the Young lady. and another
young lady. who had accompanied her
to this CITY from Washington on Sun
day morning.
The three young ladies were seated
in the room, while the mother had
gone downstairs to prepare the even
ing meal. Mr.. and Mrs. Fiery were
away from home at the time. having
gone for drive. Little Ben was IN
his fathers room, which ad1o1ns the
room in which the ladies we're seated.
He had his cat rife in his hands,
and was PLAYING with the weapon,
being afed beside the bed, with the
rifle resting across the bed and point
ed toward the open door leading into
the adjoining room.
Miss Otty was seated near the WIN
dow, directly in line with the rifle.
The little lad, catching sight OF her.
called out
"Oh. Miss Otty. don't you wish
to GO down in the yard and see me
shoot at mark"
The Young lady replied carelessly to
the boy saving that she did not wish
to go, aud the words had scarcely left
her lips before the weapon was ex-
ploded. The bullet struck her in the
left temple, and she fell back in her
chair with a scream. Mortified by the
sight, the lad began screaming. cry
ing out, "Oh,I've killed Miss Azzie r
The ladies Immediately went to the
assistance of the injured girl. ana
attracted by the cries from the room
the mother also ran in. DIR. Sencln'
diver was Immediately summoned.
and arrived in few minutes. but the
young lady was dead when he reached
her side, having expired in very
short time after the bullet entered her
head. without regaining conscious
ness.
The scene in the room when the girl
was pronounced dead was heartrend-
ing, The grief of the mother aud sis
ter and the frenzied cries of the lad as
they bent over the form of the dead
girl were touching in the extreme.
The little fellow was almost crazed
nv the terrible accident, and could
give no coherent account OF how the
gun had been discharged, and was not
able to state whether his finger had
pulled the trigger and sped the bullet
that snuffed out the life of the young
lady, or whether the rifle had become
entangled in the bed clothing and was
exploded when he attempted to lift 1T
from the bed to pat it away. Those
who were present. however. state
positively that the sad affair was an
accident pure and simple, although
il occurred with such suddenness that
they were confused and unable to
remember the exact details attending
the shooting.
La.er in the evening the remains OF
Miss Otty were taken to the home OF
her uncle, Mr.. Thomas Callahan, on
South Maple avenue, where they were
prepared for burial, aud where many
friends called to express their sorrow
and sympathy with the family of the
dead lady. Miss Otty, in company
with her sister and a friend, came to
Martinsburg on the excursion from
Washington on Sunday morning. and
the three ladies were to have returned
Sunday evening They were visiting
their mother at Mr.. Fiery's home
when the distressing accident took
place. Miss Otty was employed in
one or the government uepditn ems at
Washington. and had been residing
there for some time.
She was aged 81 years, was dangh-
ter of Mr.. and Mis-. Henry Otty a
bright and attractive young lady
and had many friends in this city.
The funeral tolk pace Tuesday
afternoon at 2 O'Clock at Trinity
Episcopal church. The services were
conducted by Rev. John 5. Doug
las, the rector. and the remains were
inferred in Mr.. Fierys burial lot
fin Green Hill cemetery, Miss Otty
was member of the Episcopal
church.
Another distressing phase of the
sad affair is the probable effect it