The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-11-15
Riffs Bail Through Arm.

Archie l.. Weston of this town was
seriously wounded In the left arm by the
accidental discharge of the rifle of one
of his companions while hunting in the
town of Moscow, last Sunday morning.
MI Weston and Abbott Nelson left
here Wednesday of last week and pro-
coded to point in Moscow, about four
miles to the East of the Kennebec River
aud near high ridge known in the vi
oinity as Cow Mountain" They went
into camp in an abandoned farmhouse,
about one mile south of the Caratunk
line. On Saturday they were joined by
Tracey Gates of this place, Mr.. Weston
going out TO Bingham to meet him and
to accompany him back to camp Pre-
vious to Mr.. Gates arrival they had shot
two deer and as all three of the part 2
we're expert hunters and familiar with
the woods they had every reason to ex-
pect successful sport and no cause to
look for the unfortunate termination of
their outing by the accident Of the fol
lowing morning.
They started out early Sunday morn.
ing and about eleven O'Clock were. pro
ceeding down a rather steep mountain
trail, about two miles from camp, max
ing toward Decker brook where they
had planned to lunch They were walk
ing single file, Mr.. Weston in the lead,
Mr.. Gates a short distance behind and
Mr.. Nelson in the lear and about 20 feet
behind Gates. The growth was open 30
that Mr. Nelson could see both of his
companions ahead of him, While
walking in this manner Mr.. Nelson
heard the discharge of rifle and. un-
der the impre ssion that his companions
had sighted and fred at game, at once
raised his own weapon, but at the same
instant he noted Mr.. Weston grasp at
his left arm as though he had been in
jured. Investigation disclosed the bull
let wound near the shoulder and,
strange to say, no one of the party, in
aware from which rifle the shot had
come, Mr. Gates not realizing that his
weapon had been discharged. After
the wound had beer bandaged as we'll as
conditions permitted each of the rifles
were examined in turn and the empty
shell was found in Mr.. Gates barrel
making it certain that the ball had come
fIom it's accidental discharge.
Mr.. Gates made all haste to Geo. Cor
don's, the nearest telephone station,
about three miles from the place of the
accident, telephoned to Bingham for
medical assistance and, in company with
a Mr.. Rollins of that ghboThood,
fastened back into the woods, meeting
Messrs Weston and Nelson who had al
ready covered two thirds of the distance
from the scene of the accident to Cor
dons. DIR. r G. Brown of Bingham ar.
rived at Gordon's shortly alter Mr.
Weston and party res ohed there and at
once made an exami' .ttion and temper
airy dressing of the wound. After
wasting some hours in attempting to
reach Skowhegan by telephone, all
came on down to Bingham where, at
DR.. Browns office, Mr.. Weston's arm
was carefully attended to by DIs
Brown and Williams of Bingham and
Green of Scion.
The bone of the arm, which was found
to be broken but not splintered, was sci
and the wound dressed. The ball had
pierced the arm, both flesh and bone
making a comparatively small hole at
its entrance but at its exit cutting the
muscle for two thirds of it's diameter
and leaving wound at the surface
about two inches from side to side
Mr.. Weston came to Skowhegan by the
train, leaving Bingham at noon on
Monday, arriving here via the Somerset
Traction line at three o'clock. He ID
now at his father's home on Turner
avenue and is attended by DR.. l.. A
Dascomb his family physician. Though
the arm is severely injured it is now
believed that it can be saved and re-
stored to large measure of usefulness
The weapon carried by Mr.. Gates wal
Winchester repeating rifle, 38 40 cali
Der, a model we'll known to all who are
familiar with modern sporting arms
He supposes that he had the hammer al
safety cock, under which circumstance
the weapon could not have been dis
charged without first raising the ham
mer to full cock aud then touching The
trigger The cause of the discharge re-
mains an unsolvable mystery to thu
three who were present at the time II
occurred. Mr. Gates is, of course, deep
ly grieved by the misfortune. Mr.. Yves
ton and his family fully appreciate hil
deep regret and are free to say that they
do not feel that he should add to II by
the thought that he was any way a
fault.
Mr.. Weston ia about thirty-three years
of age, married, and he and his wife re
side on Prospect street For eight years
previous to last September he had beer
in the employ of r. II. Merrill & Son.
Gard of Thanks.
uraat calamity ppakpA the M