Evening star., 1916-01-02
David Thompson Receives Bull
let in Lung When Shot 4
Goes Wild.
EDWARD TANNING HELD;
VICTIM EXPECTED TO DIE
Police Convinced Affair Was Acct.
dental, But Arrest Youth for Han.
ding Weapon illegally. ,

David Thompson. colored. forty years
old. owner of an ash cart, was shot
In the chest yesterday afternoon while
emptying his wagon on Fowler's Hill,
part OF strip of land between the
tracks Of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company and Canal road, Just
west of seth street. 1t is probable
that the bullet penetrated his lung
and he may die.
Edward Tanning. fifteen years old.
who lives with his widowed mother at
1917 36th street northwest. admitted
having hred the shot. He was firing
at tin can, he stated. and the police
are satisfied that such was the case,
out although the wounding of Thomp-
son was an accident. the boy was ar
rested and is held under the section of
police regulations which forbids chill
dren under sixteen years Of age han
ding weapons of any kind. 1t is
Claimed by the police that the Tanning
boy was in possession of the rifle in
violation of the foregoing regulation.
Shooting at Tin Can.
According to the information obtain
ed by the police the Tanning boy and
seven companions were on Fowler's
Hill shooting at a tin can, another of
the group having a rifle similar to the
one used by Tanning. Tanning threw
his rifle away after the shooting, and
the police took possession of the other
one.
Thompson and his son, the police
state, were on the dump getting rid
of their load of ashes. Thompson keel
eo over when struck by the 22 caliber
bullet. With the aid of other persons.
the police say, the wounded mans son
got him in the wagon and took him to
Georgetown University Hospital,
where surgeons made an examination
and reported that his condition was
serious.
precinct went to the Tanning resi-
dence. questioned Edward and took
him to the police station. Later the
boy was taken to the house Of deten-
ton. He is said to have admitted firing
the shot that wounded Thompson.
The police of the seventh precinct
last night questioned all the boys who
participated in the rifle contest yes
terday afternoon on the dump where
Thompson was shot, and learned from
them that the shooting was an acci.
dent. Parents of other boys in that
precinct, it is said, will be advised OF
the danger connected with the handling
of such weapons. and the police prob
strict enforcement of the regulation.
which provides a penalty in cases of
children who have such weapons in
their possession.
1t was stated last night that the rife
used by young Tanning was a Christ
mas present given him by his en-
ployer. A further investigation of the
accidental shooting will be made the
die. it will be necessary for Coroner
hewitt to hold an inquest, but in event
of the recovery of the ashman, the
Juvenile Court will probably investi-
gate
Another Shot Accidentally.
Charles jackson, colored. thirteen
years old. of Spring Hill. Va. is another
victim of a .22-caliber rife. He was
this city yesterday afternoon.
1T was another case of accidental
shooting said seventh precinct po-
liceman. "and another case showing the
danger of permitting children to handle
firearms"
Charles was accidentally shot by his
brother Edward. fourteen years old,
according to a report made by the po-
lice They were playing with the rife.
it is said, when 1t was accidentally dis
charged and Charles was struck in the
head.
The bullet entered one side of the
boys head and came out the other
side. Practically no hope for the boys
recovery was held out by surgeons at
the hospital
Friday deputy game warden
working under direction of Maj. Pull
man took a rife from a small boy in
the county and turned 1t over to Capt.
Judge of the tenth precinct. Maj.
Pullman has displayed an interest in
the prosecution of cases of children
being permitted to carry air guns and
other similar instruments.
He also is interested in the question
of throwing safeguards about the pur-
chase of weapons of all kinds. and. he
stated yesterday. he intends to discuss
the whole question with the Commits
sioners at an early date. Maj. Pullman
had reference to air guns.
recalling cases involving their use that
had been before Juvenile Court.
I'm told that there was one case be-
fore the court" he said. "in which a
boy was shot with an ordinary air
rifle and manned for life. And the
shooting this afternoon" he added.
.only demonstrates the amount Of
damage that may be done with .22-
caliber rife"