Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-08-01
PRESIDENT HALSEY
KILLED BY BULLET
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE SAD
FATALITY.
SONS STRICKEN WITH GRIEF
Tragedy Occurs Through Accidental
Discharge of Revolver Following a
Target Practice-Body Remains in
Forest Until Morning-Go Twelve
Miles for Doctor.

Oshkosh, July 2S.-President Rich
ard +. EaIsey of the Oshkosh Normal
school, who with his two sons had
been camping on Gogebic lake, in
2orthern Michigan, died shortly be
fore 3 o'clock Friday night of a re
volver bullet wound accidentally in
diuted at neon.
President Halsey, following an hour
Of revolver practice with his sons, was
inside his tent reading while his son
Richard was outside cleaning the
weapons. The SO caIiber Colt re
volver was accidentally discharged
the bullet entering Mr.. Halsey's head
at the base of the brain.
Go weIve Miles for Doctor.
Far from any medical assistance
the two sons, Harry and Richard, die
what they could to stop the flow OF
blood while Mr.. Halsey rapidly lost
and consciousness. Richard
HaIsey then rowed to the camp of l.
L. Wright, who is in charge of
crew at work on the lake front, and
asked for assistance. Mr.. Wright
and others Immediately left in a gaso
Iene launch On the twelve mile trip by
lake to Bergland to secure physi
clan. In the meantime others rushed
to the Gogebic hotel where they OBJ
tanned bandages, hot water and other
necessities for the injured man
When they returned to the tent they
found Mr. Halsey in a dying condition
The launch carrying Dr. Foote Of
to the injured mans side
encountered a severe storm on the re
turn trip and the high wind and heavy
seas made it impossible for the party
to reach the camp until O'Clock
When they arrived at Mr.. Halsey's
tent they found him dead. DR.. Foote
ascertained that the bullet entered
the medula oblongata and that the
victim had been dead for at least two
hours at the time he arrived.
Sons are Frustrated.
The two sons of the Oshkosh edu
Gator were Frustrated with grief and
were taken to the hotel Thomas Plush
of Bergland, Mr.. Robinson of Besse
mer and two men from the hotel re
NAMED with the body in the forest
until morning.
In the morning it was thought best
to remove the body to the hotel and
an affidavit of prejudice, necessary
under the Michigan law, was sworn to
by Or. Fooe, Mr. Robinson, Thomas
Plush, Harry Camp, I NJ. Wright
Ray Dick and Mr.. Van Piper. The
body was then placed on a cot and
carried to a row boat, being later
placed in the assembly hall of the
hotel at Gogebic.
Could Not Have Lived.
The tragedy of MIR. Halsey's death
and the prostration of the two sons
has made a deep impression on the
hundreds of campers and Tesorters
large area and every one
did everything possible fer the two
sons. Harry, following the shooting
worked over his father for more than
an hour, in the meantime doing what
he could to alleviate the grief of his
brother Richard who was nearly fran
tic with remorse.
DR.. FoOte said that he was satisfied
that even had Mr. Halsey received
earlier medical assistance, his life
could Lot have been saved.
President Halsey and his two sons
both young men, were camped on the
shore of Lake Gogebic at a place
owned by L. L. Wright, state superin
tendent of public instruction for Mich,
igan. The camp is situated about
twelve miles from the station of
Gogebic, which is beyond BessemeT
on the Northwestern line. They
had been practicing revolver shooting
at a target in the woods. At noon
they returned to camp and entered
the tent. The sons proceeded to clean
the revolvers. One was accidentally
and the bullet struck
President HaIsey in the head. 1t
penetrated at the cheek and lodged in
the base of the brain.
The tragedy has plunged Oshkosh in
sorrow. President Halsey is sur
yived by two sons and two daugh-
-ers. One son, H. Rowland Halsey,
s principal of the Watertown High
school. The other, Richard c., is
principal of the Embarrass schools.
Rufus H. Halsey, was born in
Grove, N. Y, in 1856. He
received his early education in the
public schools of Brooklyn and was
tilted for. college at Adelphi academy.
n 1873 he entered Williams college
md graduated in 1877. Mr. HaIsey
aught five years in the Brooklyn
institute after graduating
md then went to Oshkosh as principal
# the high school In 1891 he be-
anne city superintendent. After
thirteen years of work in Oshkosh he
vas induced to take charge of the
chooIs of RinphamtOn. n. Y On the