The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-08
YOUTH DEAD
after SHOT
BY BROTHER
John DeBout, Aged IL, Is
Victim Of Hunting Trag-
edy in Rock Island.

John J. De Bout, IL years old.
was shot to death by a gun in the
hands Of his older brother, Evo,
! age 13 years, while a younger
brother, Modets, and a playmate
looked on, in an accident that oc-
Cured as the boys were hunting
at First street and Thirteenth
avenue at 4 o'clock yesterday after
noon, The brothers are the sons of
Mr.. and Mrs. Leo De Bout, 1928
First street.
John died at his home one-half
hour after the accident. Drs. Jo-
seph De Silva and H. E. Beck of
Moline were called to attend the
lad.
John and Evo were in the habit
of going hunting at dugout be-
! tween Mill and First streets on
Thirteenth avenue. The lads were
playing in the back yard of their
| home. where their father and two
other men were sitting talking.
Suddenly they took their guns and
started on the hunt for blackbirds
without telling the father. They
we're joined by Modets and another
yoIngster.
Evo was loading his gun, the 9TH
er boys walking along and paying
no attention to Evo's efforts, when
the hammer of the gun slipped. the
kick knocking Evo over. The force
OF the fall caused the gun to 60
of, the shot entering the right side
of Johnny's back; shattering his
ribs. and taking downward course
to the left toward his heart Donald
Howard, age IA years, who was on
his way hsme from town at the
time, saw Evo holding Johnny in
his arms, and ran toward the boys
! Seeing the tragedy, he sent for the
boys father, who removed the
wounded child to his home, where
ideath occurred.
+, Testifying at the inquest held al
the Knox undertaking. parlors this
morning, at which a verdict of ac-
cideptal shooting was returned
Evo, frightened and still unable to
collect his thoughts because of the
shock. told the following story:
I'VE always went hunting, my
brother and me. Johnny was walk
ing at the side of me when we got
to the dugout where we always
shot blackbirds, and we kept walk
ing while l tried to load my gun
l opened it and put in the cartridge
when the hammer slipped and the
kick threw me over. When I sal
up, l saw Johnny fall over and
blood splattered over his back.
II took Johnny in my arms and
held him, too frightened to move
We thought he was dead. Then
Donald came along and sent fol
papa. Papa. took Johnny home. We
only live a block away"
! DR.. De Silva testified, and q
lneighbor of the De Bouts told like
tale of the accident, as he saw il
from his dining room window.
! The father was too weak to tes'
tify, the jury dismissing him, as he
was not present at the time of the
accident. Mr.. De Bout said thai
the boys often went hunting with
out telling the parents. but thai
they were careful and had nevel
had an accident before.
! The dead boy was born at Min
eral. ILL.,, on Feb. l, 1908. He hai
resided in Rock Island since hi:
parents removed here II, years ago
John attended the Grant school
where he was well liked by all hi:
playmates. The lad is survived by
his parents. the two brothers, Eve
and Modets, and two sisters. Mar
guerite and Mary.
The funeral will be held at
O'Clock tomorrow morning at the
st. Paurs Catholic church. Buria
! will be in Calvary cemetery.