The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-04-17
A FEARFUL TRAGEDY
CITADEL CADET MEETS DEATH At
TARGET PRACTICE.
CAUSES Keen REGRET


Member Of the Freshman Class at the
Military Academy Struck by Bullet
While Occupying Pit Beneath Tar.
get With officers and Squad Of His
Comrades.
The News and Courier says Cadet
Louis Geddings Dotterer, z member
of the freshman class at the Citadel
and the eldest son Of DR.. Louis P.
Dotterer, Of Charleston, was shot in
the head at 1925 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon while at target practice
on the Rifle Range, where the Cita-
del corps is now encamped, and died
a few minutes afterwards as re-
suit Of his wound.
Cadet Dotterer with a squad Of
officers and cadets was in the pit Just
beneath the target when he met his
death. The bullet that brought his
Wife to an end came from one Of the
rifles discharged in volley by the
firing squad, which was shooting at
the target. The bullet struck the
unfortunate young man in the back
of the head, after being detected
down and after passing clear through
one of the boards Of the shed which
covers the pit.
The accident appears to have been
as extraordinary as it was deplor-
liable. Cadet Dotterer, with a squad
of fifteen other cadets, Col. O. J.
Bond, superintendent of the Citadel,
and Lieut.. Jeryey, comnandant Of
the corps, was in the pit just below
the target. On the firing line about
1900 yards away stood the firing
squad aiming at the target. The
pit, which is about 6 feet deep, Is
almost directly beneath the target;
and Just in front OF the pit Is an
embankment Of earth about 10 feet
in height and Is feet In width with
a heavy board backing. Extending
over the pit is a board shed to keep
off rain.
The targets are operated from the
pit, from which they are raised and
into which they are lowered by
means of lever operated by the
pit squad, which occupies the pit,
while target practice Is going on, and
registers the number CT hits made
lby the firing squads. According to
officers of the Citadel and militiamen
who have practiced. on the Range,
the high embankment in front, to-
gether with the depth Of the pit have
always in the past afforded perfect
protection to the men occupying 1t,
and the fact that the Rife Range
has been used for something like
five years without single casualty
Of the sort would indicate that only
by an extraordinary combination Of
circumstances could any one In the
pit be injured by bullet fired at
the target.
Cadet Dotterer was standing near
Col. Bond when Voliey was fred
and the young man reeled and fell
with a bullet wound in the back OF
his head. The ball had struck the
woodwork connected with the target,
had in some manner been DETECTED
downward and had passed through
the shed above the pit. It was seen
at once that the young man was bad
ly wounded and Dr. R. S. Cathcart,
the Citadel physician, was immedl-
ately sent for and arrived soon after
wards.
In the meantime messenger was
sent to summon any physician who
could be reached. DR.. Lane Mullally
responded to the call for aid; but
before he or Dr.. Cathcart reached the
scene iMr. Dotterer was dead, the end
coming only a few minutes after the
wound had been received. Deputy
Coroner John P. DeVeaux was sum-
noned and viewed the remains, after
which the body was removed to the
J. NJ. Connelley undertaking estab-
lishment.
News Of the fatal accident reached
the city quickly and caused the keen
est SORROW to the friends Of the
young man and of his family. Louis
DotteTer was a young man of ex-
ceptional promise, and he was loved
and admired by all who knew him.
Young as he was-fle was only in his
seventeenth year-he was a tne
specimen of physical manhood. His
loss will be deeply deplored by hum
dreds Of people here, whose sympa-
thy goes out to his stricken family.
AS a result OF the accident, which
has cast gloom over the entire corps,
the encampment Of the cadets at
Camp Thomas, on the National
Guard Rifle Range came to an END
Wednesday instead of on Saturday,
as was the original plan. Inspection
by the United States army officers
will take place today, after which
the tents will be struck. The flags
at Camp Thomas and at the Citadel
will be flown at half-mast IS mark