Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-07
FRANK STELZER KILLED BY AC.
clDENTAL DISCHARGE OF
COMPANIONS GUN.
sTELzER RECEIVES CHARGE
IN BACK; DIES INSTANTLY
Earl Hausafus, Who Held the Gun.
Becomes Hysterica With Grief-one
of the Party Had Shot at Flock Of
Ducks and Hausafus Was Raising to
Fire When Gun Went Off.

witnessed the accidental killing OF
fourth member of their party, Frank
Stelzer, aged L. Young Stelzer fell
MORALLY wounded when the gun held
by his friend and companion, Earl
Hausafus. aged Is, was prematurely
discharged under the excitement of a
flock of ducks flying over the heads of
the youngsters.
| The shocking accident happened at
about $50 Sunday morning, near the
/ goose ponds. Stelzer. who is uachin-
lists helper employed by the Iowa Cen
trail, son of Frank Stelzer, an Iowa
/! Central machinist living at 4Os South
/ street. rose with his companions at
$3.50. in order 20 get at the shooting
grounds early. His companions were
Earl Hausafus. son OF Mrs. I'd Con-
nors, West High street, and an en-
ploye of the Iowa Central tin shops;
Leo Coffey, aged l., an employe OF the
car shops and son Of EDWARD Coiiey'
1909 South Center street; and the lat
ter's stepbrother, Ernest Christensen.
aged IS, an employe Of the Central
blacksmith shops.
The boys walked 10 the ponds, taking
I Iowa Central to Minerva Junction,
which brought them pretty well to-
ward the upper part OF the long
stretch of water.
ppm Hit in the Back Boys
/ The four young hunters reached the
! junction about o'clock, and headed
! toward the ponds. They had no sooner
/ got fairly started than whirr Of
! wings was heard and flock OF nfteen
+ or twenty ducks got UP from some
where and started over the youngsters
/ heads. Christensen, who was IN the
/ lead, let go his single barreled breech
I loader and got one bird. Hausafus, who
was in the rear, and directly behind
Slelzer. pulled 70 taha hurried shol.
( He did not get the gun to his shoulder
before the weapon was discharged, ana
his friend before him, only few feet
distant from the end of the barrel
threw up his hands and fell forward.
Young Coney ran toward him and
4 picked him up by the shoulders M
Init in the back, boys" was all Stelzer
said. With a gasp he was dead.
Carry Body to Andrews Home.
The boys, so frightened they could
barely speak, carried the limp form OF
! their companion back over the tran
they had SO shortly before traversed
with light hearts. The procession was
an entirely different one. All the boys
s were weeping, and young Hausafus
was so nearly crazed that ne was haro-
IL accountable for his actions.
When near the tracks a man who was
attracted by the sight Of the three boys
! carving another lent assistance and
helped get the body 10 the home Of Ed
Andrews. Young Coffey ran ahead and
summoned an ambulance. At the An
drews home, with Mrs. Andrews ILL.,
the confusion proved 100 much for the
! Young mothers welfare. and the boys
| were compelled to leave their dead
! Young Christensen tainted after
reaching the Andrews home, and Haul
! safus was so aysterical that he was IN
/ need of medical assistance. Coffey re-
] NAMED with the body of his friend,
] and the other boys plodded their way
| home. The ambulance brought the
dead boy, Coffey, and four empty shot
/ guns TO the Howard Wilbur undertake
ing parlors.
Coroner Investigates.
| Upon being notified of the accident
! Coroner E. W. Jay investigated the cir
| cumstances, and heard the stories Of
the different boys He decided that the
( shooting was purely accidental, and did
not order an inquest. The shot that
killed Stelzer was a Dupont duck load
| of an ounce and a half of No. shot,
with three drains of powder. The gun
| held by Hausafus was new single
barrelled breech loader, and had
been used but three or four times. Inc
range was so close that fearful hole
was torn in Stelzer's back, short dis
lance under the right shoulder. While
none of the pellets passed thru the
boys body the heart was punctured.
Parents Grief Stricken.
The parents Of the young man who
was killed were grief stricken beyond
coincidence when informed Of their
sons death The mother was unable to
accompany the father to the undertak-
| ing parlors, and remained al home with
her grief for her only boy.
Young S.elzer Tas 2 hard working
young fellow, and for a boy of his age
was earning good money. He was
fine physical specimen of young man
hood. and large for his age. He had
| expected within two months to become
fuu-fedged machinist. On his last
pay day young Stelzer drew s65 wages
as machinist's helper. The boys who
| were with him are all industrious, and
the best of friends.
Aside from his parents young Stel-
| ger is survived by two sisters, Mrs.
Henry Miller, of Pittsburg, Pa, and
Mrs Walter Shoning, Of Valley juno
ton. Both have been notified by wire
| of their brothers death.