The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-08-29
Distressing Occurrence.
MIR. Thomas G. Skinner, Jr., Dead
as Result Of Pistol Shot Fired in
His Own Hands Was Alone at
Time and Whether Accident or
Design is Not Known Family
and Friends Hope Twas Accident

As the result OF pistol shot Mr. Thorn
as q. Skinner, Jr., was killed at the Rome
OF his brother-in-law, Mr.. T.. H. Turner,
in this place Saturday afternoon little
before l O'Clock. The pistol was fired in
the young mans own hands, whether
from accident or design is not
known. Mr.. Skinner had been here four
or five weeks visiting his sisters, Mr.. G.
II. Turner and Mrs. j c. Kittrell. Sun
day he was going to Raleigh to stand
examination on Monday for license to
practice law. lie had made all his ar
rangements to this effect even to cashing
a check and providing himself with the
necessary funds for expense account, ex-
animation fee, etc. He had just left the
dining room after eating dinner and APP
peared to be in his usual mood. Passing
through Mr.. Turner room he took a re-
volver from its holster and was handling
the weapon. A shot was heard and the
injured man staggered a few steps and
fell almostintO the passage way between
the dining room and the room he was in
The pistol dropped on the floor and it
was open or 'broken' in the position of
loading or ejecting the shells when it
was picked up. 1t was centre fire but
the exploded cartridge did not show that
the hammer had struck it squarely as in
the act OF firing, but the conclusion was on
one side somewhat scraping in nature as
if it might have been fired as the pistol
was broken" or snapped together. The
ball took effect in the left side and pene
trated the heart. Death was almost in
Simultaneous the unfortunate young man
being practically dead by the time any
one could reach him.
1t was u distressing occurrence and it
is all a matter of conjecture as to how it
happened The theory of accident is
plausible and the young man may have
been victim of his own carelessness. He
had taken quite fancy to the pistol and
tried to buy it from Mr.. Turner who
would not part with it. About thirteen
years ago Mr.. Skinner was shot in the
head by young companion and al
though the ball was extracted he never
fully recovered from the in Jury and suffer-
ed much at times. He had undergone
two or three operations since which af-
fOrded only temporary relief. Three or
four times he was compelled to give up
his studies and quit school, at Randolph
Macon, Easton, Nd, Annapolis Naval
Academy, Chapel HILL etc, but after the
last operation he had seemed to get
along better and he and his friends hoped
that he was about to enter finally upon
a career to which he had ambitiously as
pired so long and which he undoubted-
ly would have achieved but for the mis-
fortune that overlook him above
referred to. With several young COM
panions Mr.. Skinner was in the woods
shooting at the mark. Leaving the 9th
ers after they been shooting awhile he
went to the house OF a man nearby to
see him on business. Returning he was
walking through the woods in the direc-
ton of where the target shooters were,
but not in line with the firing. One of
the young men was in the act ofshooting
at an object that had been thrown into
the air. Swerving with the moving OBJ
ject and bringing the pistol on levelan
in line with young Skinner who was APP
preaching unseen through the under
brush the shot took effect in his head and
but for the distance would have killed
him outright.
Mr.. Skinner was son of Hon Thomas
G. Skinner of Hartford, former member
of Congress from the First district, and
prominant member of the bar. He was
bright young man and was exceedingly
popular with a wide acquaintance and
friendship throughout the State. He
was secretary of the judiciary committee
in the last Legislature and his work in
that capacity won him praises from all
who came in contact with him. Beside
his father he leaves two brothers and
two sisters to mourn his tragic and I'M
| timely end. The body was taken to
Hartford for burial From the News
| and Observer we take the following:
The sad death of this lovable young
man will greatly distress his many
| friends as we'll as his immediate family.
His short life, from young boyhood,
| when he was wounded in the head, was
| a strong fight of an ardent, ambitious
| spirit against an inexorable fate from
which there was no escape
| Time and time again he took up the
work which to his naturally bright mind
| was so congenial, and it seemed that he
would achieve success over all odds; but
time and again this same grim enemy
| put it's hand upon him and his physical
faculties failed him to such an extent
that his mental powers were forced to
succumb.
| He came to the Summer Law School
of the University in June, full of hope;
it seemed to him that he was about to
| conquer in his long fight and enter upon
| life in the profession of his choice, but all
in vain.
| He was endeared to professors and
students in the law school by his many
amidble qualities, and the triumph OF
their success in passing the barexamina-
| ton will be greatly tempered by the
| thought OF the loved associate who has
! gone to his rest. Perhaps in the higher
! life, where relieved of the burden of the
| flesh land its burden was heavy to him) :,
his freed spirit may reach a better sphere
in which he may find the happiness that
was denied him here.