The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-06-14
N. c. HOUSTON
A SOLDIER BOY
KILLS HIMSELF
Member of Company g, While
Hanging Up His Gun, Was
Accidentally Shot.
BULLET PIERCED BREAST
Eighteen-Year=Old Son of Mr..
and Mrs. D. c. Houston, of
This City, Neglects to Put
Safety on Gun.
BULLET PIERCED BREAST

Malcolm c. Houston, Is years of
age, son of Mr.. and Mrs D. G.. Hous-
ton, of this city, and member of
Company G brunswick Riflemen),
First Georgia regiment accidentally
shot himself at Camp Jowett last
night, death resulting almost instant.
ly.
That the shooting was purely an
accident, was the opinion of all the
officers and others at the camp, who
at once made an investigation into
the tragedy. The accident, it seems,
was due entirely to the carelessness
of the young soldier
1t was just few minutes after s
O'Clock when men around the camp
heard the report of a gun. Instantly
they rushed out to ascertain what it
wa g 4ffsaeef tive efa4y-a
short distance from the tent from
which it was believed the report
came. They Immediately went into
the camp of young Houston which
was dark, and, after the light was
on the ground, blood oozing from his
right side. He was unconscious and
assistance was quickly summoned
but without uttering word anc
merely groaning once or twice, he
died
An investigation was immediately
ordered and Coroner Baldwin was no
titled He summoned a jury and I'M
mediately went to the camp and took
charge of the body and started with
the inquest.
Young Houston was about cam1
during the afternoon and was 70 &c
on guard duty at 1920 o'clock last
night. Shortly before the accident
occurred, he asked permission of Cor
poral Dickey to leave camp, who re
ferred him to Capt. Butts. The young
man, probably ten or fifteen minutes
before the accident occurred, went te
the captains headquarters and asked
if he could go out for a short time
He was told that one or two mer
were off; that he was to go on duty
at 1O:30, consequently the leave
could not be granted Nothing more
was seen of him until the report oi
shot came from his tent.
Houston's gum a 1906 model Spring
field, was found in the tent hanging
by the leather shoulder-strap on the
post midway the tent. In it was one
empty cartridge. From every indf
cation. the young man had walked
into the tent, picked up his gun
probably placed one shell in it, which
automatically cooked the gun. Then
without putting on the safety. he at
tempted to hang the gun on the post
in the tent in the dark, and, instead
of catching the strap on the nail used
for the purpose in the post. he must
have caught the trigger. The bullet
entered his right breast, ranged
downward. penetrated his shoulder
blade and came out through the back
| probably half an inch below when il
had entered, indicating that the gun
was discharged with the butt elevat
ed some two feet above his head
The end of the barrel could not have
been over an inch or two from his
| BODY when it was discharged.
The coroner's jury. composed OF
Geo. R. Krauss. Frank Herzog. P. c
| Woods. E. Y. Roberts, w. H.,Tavlo,
| and A. c. Stebbins. examined mum
ber of witnesses and made thorough
| Investigation about the tent Unde,
the evidence, and with all the cir
cumstances connected with the trag
| edy. it could have been nothing more
| than an unfortunate accident. The
coroner's jury returned verdict to
this effect.
Young Houston, who mad resided ir
Brunswick all his life, enlisted in the
army early last summer. Ie was
sent to Macon, the state troops being
located there at the time and was