The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-08-25
SHOT WHILE HE JOKED,
FRANK BUMMERL DEAD

Suing WIN MS DrOtner, Joseph DuHi-
merl, at 1415 North Broad street,
was shot and almost instantly killed
at about $50 o'clock last evening,
while talking and laughing with three
companions in front of the residence
of Fred. Krehnke, 1402 First avenue,
corner of Maxwell street. Whether
the shooting was done by Bummerl
himself or by some one else, and
whether it was accidental or not
have been questions that have en-
gagged the attention Of the authori-
ties, but it seems from all that can
be gathered that the unfortunate
young man shot himself accidentally.
Spent Evening With Chums.
Bummerl had spent the evening
with his three chums, who were his
brother, Adolph. nineteen years old,
Oscar Rychus, eighteen years old, and
Hans Hamer, sixteen years old. He
and Rychus had bought ice cream
and bananas at Oliver Olson's store
and treated the other two, and they
had spent some time at woodpile
half block from the scene OF the
shooting, singing and joking, while
waiting for Gustav Krehnke, another
chum, who works in five and ten
cent store. Adolph Bummerl wished
10 see him about something, and
they all waited, expecting to go 10
their homes and to bed Immediately
afterwards. When they thought Gus
Iav about due they moved up in
front of his house and waited.
They were there about twenty-five
minutes, according to Hans Hamer,
talking on various subjects.
Young Men Standing Together.
The four young men were standing
close together, Frank standing be-
tween his brother and Rychus, and
perhaps a foot back, and Adolph
was talking when suddenly shot
rang out and Frank reeled and fell
10 the ground, with his head to the
south and his feet north. lnvestiga-
ton showed that he was lying partly
on his right side, with his right
arm outstretched and his left drawn
up toward his heart, and close to
his left hand lay revolver on the
grass. Hans Hamer got down and
examined the injured man and found
that he was apparently dead. No
sound mad escaped the lips of the un-
fortunate young man. With an i'm
pulse to go and tell the father Max
Bummerl, of the shooting, the three
companions took Frank Bummerls
bicycle and another bicycle that one
of them had and ran to the home Of
Max Bummerl, 1425 First avenue.
Without going into the house to in
form the parent, they left the BIZ
cycles in the yard and then ran back
W. Andrews. who came quickly in
his automobile, and found the young
man dead from pistol shot wound
through the heart. The police sta
ton was notified and Officer Lund-
berg responded, and he called COro.
ner Kennedy, who arrived at 1928
p. m. and viewed the remains and
turned them over to the John Klein
Undertaking company.
Coroner Kennedy has investigated
the case and has come to the con-
clusion that the shooting was an
accident and that no inquest is neces.
sary.
No Reason for Suicide.
There is no reason to think that
the young man committed suicide,
for he was always in good spirits,
was doing nicely, and had no love
affair." He had been very cheerful
last evening. He was twenty-one
years old, and for four months had
been employed steadily at the Nc.
Clure stone quarry, where he pound
ed bull point" with the stone cut
ters. He worked hard all day yes.
terday, and as was his custom, spent
the evening with his friends. He hal
to the Krehnke residence and there
young Hamer telephOned to DR.. j.
never threatened to commit suicide
nor ever seemed respondent. For
six months past he had made his
home with his brother, Joseph Bum
merl, at 1415 North Broad street
His mother died five years ago, and
at times he went in rather wild
company, and got into difficulties sew
eral times, but for the past SIX
months had conducted himself in d
manner above reproach. He was 4
fireman on the Great Western road
before he went to work in the stone
quarry.
One strange thing about the case
is the fact that no one seems to
have known that Bummerl had a
revolver, either last evening or al
companions say that they never
dreamed that he had a revolver. A
the time of the shooting, none o.
the party saw the weapon until they
saw it lying on the ground. The!
did not see anyone draw it, or any
one have it in his hand.
The weapon was a thirty-two-cali
bre gun, and looks like one that has
been carried good deal. Wher
examined at the police station, where
1t was taken, it was found to con
tain two ball cartridges and one dis
charged cartridge.
Brother Knows Nothing.
The brother of the dead man
Adolph, is unable to throw any ligh
On the exact manner of the shooting
Hans Hamer was seen at the Hoer
produce house, where he works, blu
did not know anything of the &C!
ual shooting. He lives at 1925 Sec
ond avenue. Adolph Bummerl live
with his father. Oscar Rychus, VIII,
is a son of Ole Rychus and lives a
1908 Fifth avenue, said that he knew
nothing of how the actual shooting
occurred. Joseph Bummerl, who il
employed at Fred Kron's store, i