Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-05-11
Girl SHOT DEAD
BY PLAYMATE
Ten-Year-OId Child Is Killed
By Fast Friend With
Rifle
EAST ABERDEEN TRAGEDY
Children Find Worm in Can
and Try to Kill it With
Supposed Air Gun
EAST ABERDEEN TRAGEDY

Emily McGilton, the 10-year-old
daughter of Thomas w. McGilton.
yard foreman at the Wilson Brothers
Co. mill at Aberdeen, was acci-
IDENTIFY shot and instantly killed about
| . O'Clock Monday afternoon by a %
callbre rifle in the hands of her play
mate, Celia Carlson, little girl of
ABOUT the same age, who makes her
nome with Jonathan II. Wilson, man
ager OF the Wilson mill.
he sad affair happened in the
"oodshed in the rear of the Wilson
resident, l022 East Heron street.
where the little girls were playing.
EllZabeth Wieland, considerably the
junior OF the two other children. was
present.
! Wanted to Kill Worm
Ihe girls came home from school
and went to the woOdshed TO play
| They found an old coffee can, which
mad not been used for long time. In
the can was worm. The girls want.
ed to kill the worm and. searching
TOR means, discovered the rife.
which they thought was an air gun,
standing in corner.
VI the trio, only the Carlson girl.
1t is stated, understood how to use
the gun, she having seen the boys
shooting. Emily McGilton picked up
the can and turned it bottom side
against her breast The little Carlson
girl cooked the rifle, leveled it at the
worm in the can and fired. The bullet
penetrated the can and went clear
through the other chiId's chest. com.
ing out at the back. The McGiltoa
slrl was killed instantly.
Girls Were Fast ErjepGc
The three little girls have been
fast friends for long time The Will.
son residence is near the mill The
McGllton family recently moved to
rooms over the mill offices. The chill
dren had been in the habit of play.
ing together,
The shot was heard by Mrs VIII
son, who ran out to the shed. She
saw Emily McGilton stretched pros
trate on the floor. while her cOmDan.
ions stood inert. Celia was entirely
dazed and did not realize what had
happened until long after the tragedy
occurred.
Mrs. Wilson summoned surgical aid
but DR.. Paul Smits, who responded,
stated following an examination that
the child was dead. Coroner Hun
ter decided that an inquest was un-
/ HCNooodiS anu iHdt tHe shooting was
purely accidental
Child's Story
Elizaeth Wieland told but a discon-
nected story, which substantially is
as follows:
Celia Carlson returned to the Will
son residence after school and a little
later Elizaeth and Emily Joined her.
The three went to the WOodshed.
where they found the can containing
the worm. They were debating how
best to kill the worm when they saw
the rifle. Elizabeth says they thought
it an air rifle. None of the three
knew much about guns, but Celia
had watched the boys playing with
a rifle and knew how to cock it. The
rifle was single shot, 30 calibre
aHalr, not made with regular ham,
mer. but is discharged with a lever
attached to a spring. The girls de-
cided to shoot the worm and Emily
help up the can in front of her with
the open top toward Celia. The lat
ter pointed the gun toward the can
and pulled the trigger. Emily was
standing not more than three feet
from the muzzle of the rifle.
Celia Carlson has been making her
home with Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson for
some time. She is about 10 years
old. while the Wieland girl is from
one to two years her junior.
The funeral took place yesterday
afternoon, from the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. McGilton, services being con-
Quoted by Rev. B. F. Brooks.