The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-12-01
Weapon Carried by E. Blank
Accidentally Discharged
as He Steps Over Log.
CHARGE ENTERS HEAD
OF FACTORY WORKER
Accidental Slayer Collapses When
He Learns He Has Killed
His Friend.

A hunting party planned by himself
proved fatal yesterday to Charles R.
Bank, 20 years old, when he was ac-
cldentally shot and killed by his best
friend, Edward Blank, while they were
walking through the swamps near the
county line, south of the Cape. The
whole top of the left side of the
youths head was blown off by the
load. The gun was discharged as
Blank jumped over log.
The body of the dead man was
brought to the Cape yesterday noon
and later in the afternoon the inquest
was held by Coroner DR.. E. r. Schoen
at the undertaking establishment of
the Lorberg Furniture Co. The jurors
held the death was accidental.
The young man lived with his
brother-in-law, H. A. Blank, 319
South Sprigg street, by whom he was
reared. When 10 years old, his
brother-in-law took charge of him and
cared FOR him as he would a son.
Tuesday night young Bank suggest
ed that he, his brother-inlaw, Ed
ward Blank, and their father go hunt
ing. They started early in the morn
ing, arriving near the county line be-
fore daybreak. The elder Blank being
unable to walk very far, remained near
the rig to take care of the horse. The
others started into the woods. Bank
and Edward Blank were walking to-
geth2r while Henry Albert Blank was
some distance away.
1t was hardly Is minutes after they
had entered the woods that the accl-
dent happened. Edward Blank and
Young Bank had started to force their
wav through some brush, Blank walk
ing about ten feet ahead of his COM
panion. He had to jump over log
that had fallen across the path and
iust as he stepped over the log the
gun was discharged.
with the explosion of the gun,
which was an automatic, heard sur
pressed outcry, and turning around
saw my friend collapse" said Edward
Blank. 81 hurried to his side and
when 7 saw where he was shot, be-
ran to cry for help. Several minutes
elapsed before my brother heard me
and when he reached the scene, | show
ed him what had happened.
"Al ran for aid and began to dc
for the unfortunate man all that vas
in nv power. l pulled my coat OF
laid It under his head and began tc
wine the blood off his face that ,hae
begun to pour in heavy stream IL
the meantime my father arrived, tol
he, too, had heard my calls for help
Several men. who were hunting, came
nnon the scene and they tried to stoI
the flow of blood, but our efforts were
of no avail"
Because of some trouble on the tele
rbor, wires, it required some time be
fore a physician could be reached. Drs
Phil and Paul Williams were sum
p,oned and they arrived with an am
bplance. When the doctors arrived
they pronounced life extinct. They ha'
70 administer stimulants to EdWar'
Blank, who had collapsed.
Albert Blank "a brother, told of TN
toruble he had in getting IN communi
cation with the Cape and summonlni
= doctor. On his way to the road
bouse of Lawrence Welder, ne wa
overtaken by man in his automoolie
whom he told of the accident. Atte
he had notified DR.. Williams he hui
r;ed hack to the scene in this auto
mobile. Almost two hours elapsed be
fore he returned to the scene Of tn
accident. He found his brother-ln-la'
dead. He had lived almost three hour
after the shooting, despite the fat
that the shots had penetrated his sku
and the brains had begun to ooze ou
The dead man had to be carried o
a stretcher for a distance of nearl
a mile. because the ambulance coul
not drive through the swamps. tt
body was brought back to the Car