The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-27
Henry billiard, Bailiff of Feder-.
al Court, Loses Life.
Shoots Himself ACCIDENTALLY
While Out Hunting.
NOT ABLE TO SPEAK
The Lower Part of His Face Is
Blown Off.
Accident Is Somewhat of a
Mystery.

While on his way to the Corbett farm,
16 miles west of Topeka for a hunt,
Henry w. billiard. colored, baiIiff of the
federal court, was accidentally killed
by a shot from his own gun. The ac-
cident occurred as he leaped from a
wagon on the George Anderson farm,
IL miles west of Topeka on the West
Tenth avenue read.
''The boy has missed a rabbit. I'll go
get him"
These, were billiards. last words. He
jumped from the wagon and a moment
later G. w. Hockenberry, who was
driving, heard the report of billiards.
gun and looking round saw him fall.
He stopped the team and going to Dill
lard saw that the entire lower part of
his face had been blown away by the
charge of fine shot. He then called to
billiards. 18-year-old son Harry, who
distant telling him of the accident.
Harry billiard remained with his father
While Hockenberry went to the George
Anderson house for assistance.
According to young billiard who re-
manned in the cornf1eld with his father,
death came 15 minutes after the acci-
dent. He says his father grasped his
hand when he reached his side. and be-
heves he was recognized. DR. Keith,
the coroner, was notified and arriveJ
shortly after billiard had died. aftey a
record breaking run in his automobile.
The body was sent to the Shellebarger
Un0ertaklng rooms by direction of the
dead mans son. The face is so man.
gled that it was impossible to tell at
the farm whether the charge had gone
inside the head or to one side, tearing
the lower part of the face away with
it. Had not the charge of shot killed
billiard he would have bled to death ac-
Cording to DR.. Keith.
billiard and his son left Topeka this
morning to go hunting on the Corbett
farm which lies about midway be-
'ween Valencia and Dover. Near the
Anderson home they met Hockenberry
end inquired the way to their destina-
zion. After learning the location of
The farm billiard was invited to ride
enberry. He did so, thinking. he said,
| that he might find some rabbits
! Harry billiard drove the horse and
buggy in which he and his father had
IN hundred yards of where his faith
er and Hockenberry were in the
wagon. He saw rabbit and shot
| twice at him. He missed both times
The buggy, he says, when he heard
Hockenberry's cry and learned that
| his father had shot himself.
For boy of 18 years young Dillard
wrote a piece of scrap paper the
l>ames and addresses of a number of
people to be notified in Topeka and
| then remained alone with his dying
ather in the cornfield, out of sight of
any habitation, while Hockenberry
went for assistance.
81 don't know how it happened" he
| said in telling OF the accident. Il was
| just getting back into the buggy when
I heard Hackenberry shout and then 1
found out what had happened. 1 just
can't tell my mother. 1t will kin her.
I wish we had not met Hackenberry.
We would have gone on to Corbett's
| and papa. would have been alive and
| well. We had come from Topeka to-
| day for hunt I guess he must have
dragged the gun out of the wagon. 1t
was an old style ten gauge. 1 heard
father and thought that he had shot at
| a rabbit. If Hackenberry had not in
vited papa to ride with him this would
never have happened. I think he tried
to speak to me after he grasped my
hand I took out my watch when I
reached him and it was ten minutes
| until eleven. He died at five minutes
after eleven"
And kneeling beside the body of his
father the boy placed his head upon his
fathers breast and listened for signs
of life. But billiard had been dead
nearly half an hour, according to DR..
| Keith.
| billiard had been connected with the
United States courts in Topeka. for 33
years. He was one of the most promi-
nent negroes in this city. He was
nearly so years old. He was a member
Knights of Pythias, and the colored
Masonic lodge. He was bai1iff of the
court and was we'll known to nearly
| every lawyer in Kansas. When Judge
c. G. Foster died he left billiard $500 in
his will.
L