The Detroit times., 1908-09-12
DEAD IN A
DITCH; GUN-SHOT
WOUND IN HEAD
MOST PLAUSIBLE THEORY Ao-
VANCED is THAT EMIL DE
CLARK WAS ACCIDENTALLY
SHOT BY HUNTERS.

Emil De Clark, Bergan farmer.
living on the Harper road In Gratiot
township. was found dying III ditch
al the roadside about a mile. from has
home. "Wednesday afternoon. and eY-
piteG u few minutes later IN the arms
OF his son, Leo. aged 10. \ hole In
his mead. which. al first. was supposed
10 have been caused BY fall from
his wagon, now proves 10 be a gun
shot Wodnd and the sheriff is now In
quest Of two men. dressed in hunters
SarD who were seen running away
from the spot where De Clark was
found. One of the men carried shot
gun.
II was lot until Thursday afternoon,
when julius De Clark. brother OF
the deceased. found Emil's hat and
noticed that It was perforated with
bird shot that the authorities realized
De Clark had been shot. No time was
lost then in notifying Sherifi Burns,
but the person who did the shooting
had ~ hours start and the sheriff had
little 10 work ON.
Assistant Prosecutor James A. Rob
isun, who with the sheriff, Coroner
Parker County Detective Churchill.
I Deputy MartZ and Assistant Prescott.
or Crosse. investigated the case Thurs
DAY night, has theory that De Clark
was accidentally shot by TWO hunters
who asked MIN for Il ride. In CLIMB
| ing into the wagon the trigger might
! have caught against some part OF the
wagon. Robson thinks Several points
about the case seem 10 favor such a
theory-the position of the wound. in
the back of the head, the fact that
there is nothing missing from De
| Clark's pockets, and the finding of a
! hunters white hat, torn into strips as
though for bandages. near the place
where De Clark was found.
De Clark was returning from the
! city. where he had sold q load OF to-
matoes. when Ne met his death His
team continued on their way with the
empty wagon and when Leo De Clark
Noticed his fathers absence: he went
down the road TO investigate About
mile away he found his father lying
lin the ditch and ran 10 him. crying
| frantically:
Papa papa"
| De Clark opened his eyes, murmured
mamma" and was silent again. The
boy sent Henry Peters, q farm hand,
! for DR. j. Il. Jones. No. 2299 Gratiot.
! ave. but De Clark died before the
physicians arrival. DR.. Jones, after
examining the wound, concluded that
the man had fallen from his wagon
and the township authorities coincid-
ed In the opinion
I After the finding of the riddled hat
il was learned that Mrs. Louis Diegel,
who drove along the road, Wednesday
afternoon. had seen two men, one car
rying a gun, running through the
fields. She had not seen De Clark, as
the ditch concealed him from her
Later the white hat. torn into strips,
was found in a field near the road.
II. as Assistant Prosecutor Robson
believes. the man was accidentally
shot, the presence of the strips, or
bandages. would seem 10 indicate that
they were preparing 20 tie the wound
and do what they could for their vic
tim when they were frightened away
by the approach OF Mrs. Diegel, fear
full that they would be suspected OF
murder. Miss Lena Moran. who fol
| lowed Mrs Degel along the road, also
says that she saw two men running
into the woods, as though heightened.
Coroner Parker has turned the case
over 10 Justice Body, OF Gratiot
township. who will hold an inquest.
De Clark was "a years old and
| leaves a widow and five children in
poor circumstances. The family live
on what is known as the Trombley
/ farm.