The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-03-15
REUEL BLOUNT'S
SAD DEATH
DEATH COMES FROM PISTOL
WOUND IN HEAD, INFLICTED
ACCIDENTALLY OR WITH
SUICIDAL INTENT.
Mother and Sisters Hear Pistol Fire
and Rush From the House TO
Find the Boy Breathing
His Last

1
features occurred Saturday night a
about IL O'Clock. when the young lif
|. of William Reuel Blount was snuffet
out in almost an instant.
The unfortunate AFFAIR occurred a
the home of Mr.. and Mrs. William
. Blount, the young mans parents. OF
South Main street, the mother anC
sisters being the only other member!
of the family at home at the time
Young Blount had reached home from
the store only a few minutes before
He entered so quietly that his mothei
did not hear him. and went to his
room. In a moment he rushed ont
through his mothers room, and she
called to him. wanting to know If Mr..
Biount was with him. She received
no. answer, but heard pistol shot al
most Immediately and rushed out Of
the house to find her only son lying
beside the front porch on the grass,
with a pistol wound through his head,
breathing his last Mr.. Blount, some
Of the neighbors and members of the
police force arrived in few, minutes
and the young man was taken into
the house By his father and died al
most Immediately.
The pistol used was an old 4I-cali-
bre, and had been loaded for a long
time. The bullet entered the head
just above and behind the right ear
and passing through the head came
out on the other side.
The family do not know whether
young Blount may have heard some
one prowling about the house, and |
out, slipped on the steps and |
fell, shooting himself accidentally, or
whether he shot himself on purpose.
There are many rumors. some of
which would substantiate the suicide
theory, though no one will ever be
able to state positively the true facts
n the case.
Mr.. Blount says his son was in the
BEST of humor at the store That he
waited on all customers who came to
settle. promptly and pleasantly, and
he had been drinking, as some ru- I
nors state, or If there was anything |
wrong with him up to the time he 3
eft the store, he could not detect It. $
ust before his son left the store. G
oweveR, Mr.. Blount says. he caught O
i'm leaning over the counter doing, Il
nd taking him by the shoulder and n
baking him awake, admonished him n
lat that would not do for business =
ian and that he must not do so again. +,
s usual thing. Mr.. Blount says. he G.
nd his son went home together. but o.
ter waking his son up as stated, the r.
~ rushed of home, without waiting a
r him and the fact caused him to rs
ther fear something was wrong and
osed up his store and went home m
fore checking up the days business 9,
nat when he reached home he found III
e sad scene told of above awaiting n,
m, and his wife met him with the h,
mark that Reuel had either shot -
nself or some one had shot him. n
Mr.. Blount says his son was struck &c
the back of the head with a rock IN
negro about eighteen months Sr
ice and received a most serious M
und Since that time he has CON- "a
lined Of his head giving him serious nj,
ubIe. saying his brain felt like 1t en-,
S on fire. The boy has been rather wi
pondent, too, of late over his work
the L. G ~, having given up his =
ce some two weeks since. I
'oung BTount was high-strung, high ,
lpered at times, but was a good IT..
mess boy, and his death has been -
ad blow to his parents, who have 90 ,
sincere sympathy OF the entire
he funeral was Sunday afternoon 81
O'Clock at the residence, conduct -
by Rev. j. w. Cherry, and the in
nent was at Rose Hill