The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-07
TWO BULLETS
BRING DEATH
George Channel Is Accidentally
Killed by His Ten ear-0ld
Nephew.
BRINGING GUN TO SHOW 1T
WEAPON CATCHES WHILE BOY
is COMING DOWN STAIRS.

terday afternoon by the accidental dis
charge of a Browning automatic 81
caibre revolver in the hands Of his
nephew, Clarence Murphy, the 10-year-
old son of Frank S. Murphy agent for
the Eastern Oregon White Pine Lum-
Der company. The tragedy occurred
at the Murphy residence, S57 East First
South street. Two bullets entered
Channels head just above the right
ear. The wounds were about an inch
apart, ranging downward and back
ward. The bullets lodged at the base
of the brain. Death was instantane-
Gus.
Channel had come to the house to
borrow his nephew's sleigh to haul his
box of carpenter tools to his home in
the rear of 544 South Fourth East
street. He had been working on a
house on Ninth East and Brigham
streets Snd had finished his work at
noon He sat in the hallway talking
TO his sister. Mrs. Murphy. while ClaT-
ence got his hand-sleigh. During their
conversation Mrs. Murphy told Chan
mel about a new automatic gun her
husband had bought and for the last
two or three days, she said, he had
been out practicing with it. When
Clarence came in he also told his uncle
about the new gun, which had been
glars. Mr.. Channel said he would like
to see it. Clarence said he knew where
his father kept it in his room upstairs
and volunteered to get it.
Channel Is Killed Instantly.
Mrs. Murphy went out into the
kitchen to see about some cooking as
Clarence ran upstairs to get the gun.
Mr.. Channel walked over to the win
I CrIar-or,.a
came to the head OF the stairs He had
the gun in his hands and as he reached
tie first landing it discharged twice in
rapid succession. Mr.. Channel dropped
to the floor and Mrs. Murphy. who
heard The shots, ran into the hall. Her
brother was lying on the floor bleeding
from his wounds. She raised his head
but his muscles had relaxed and he
was evidently dead.
Clarence dropped the gun on the
stairs and sank down in faint, while
his mother still knelt beside the body.
/ The maid called Mr.. Murphy. who was
giving a dinner at the Commercial club
to the retail lumber dealers of Salt
! Lake DR.. A. G. Bower was called.
When he arrived he said the wounds
had caused instant death. The police
were also notified and arrived there
about the time Mr.. Murphy did. The
body was taken to Evans under
taking establishment where it will be
prepared for burial.
Sergeant John Hempel and Police
Officers James Taylor and Charles
Sperry investigated the case. The gun
was picked up OF the stairway near
the first landing. One shell was lying
near the gun and the other had rolled
to the foot of the stairway. The mag
azine was taken out and it was found
to have six shells in it. 1t is evident
that the eighth cartridge was in the
+ barrel for the magazine has a capacity
of only seven Shells.
Before the cartridge could be placed
/ in the barrel the slide had to be pulled
back and the hammer cooked. Then
the hammer had been let down on the
first shell and the mere pulling of the
trigger would discharge the gun. After
the first shot is fired the recoil of the
gun throws out the shell. and loads
the gun again. If the trigger is pulled
it viii keep on shooting. Eight shots
can be fired in four seconds.
Sergeant Hempel is of the opinion that
the gun was loaded in this manner and
that. Clarence accidentally pulled the
trigger or damned the hammer against
the railing of the staircase. It is evil
/ dent that he pulled the trigger or only
one shot would have been fired. Az
examination Of the wound was made
yesterday afternoon by County Physi-
clan E W Whitney and Justice Of tbs
Peace Dana T. Smith. Tt was decided
! that an inquest was not necessary.
Career of Dead Man.
| George Channel was a native of Ohio.
He was born in 1863 and worked for
several years as a liueman. When a
youth he left his home and Travelled
about the middle west in the employ
ment of the Western Union Telegraph
company. He remained in Eaton Rap
ids, Mich, for year or two and mar
ried Helen Seelye of that place twelve
years ago. Shortly afterward they
moved to Rawlins, Wyo. Mr.. Channel
was employed there as a carpenter and
since that time has followed that occu-
patton. Three years ago he moved his
wife and family to Salt Lake, and has
had steady employment. He was @0u->
sidered a first-class carpenter and
worked most of his time for A J. Rad
ebaugh, contractor and builder.
Mr.. Channel was a member of the
Woodmen of the World in good stand
4 ing and carried $1,000 insurance in the
lodge. He is survived by a wife and
three children-Ralph, 10 years of age;
Mary, 9 years of age, and Gertrude,
years of age. Mrs. Channel was pros
trated with grief when Mr.. Murphy
came to her home and told her of her
husbands death.
Intense sorrow filed the home of Mr.
Murphy His wife is confined to her
bed and DR. Bower found il necessary
/ to give her medical attention. Car
ence is overwhelmed with grief
The body was taken in charge by
Mr. Murphy but the funeral arrange
1 fofn A
/ Channels relatives in Ohio were noti-
/ fed Of his death last night by wire.