The Wolf Point herald., 1920-02-26

: In the Kings court in the city
of Quebec, the other day, judge
ment was handed down in which
Sir Charles Ross was instructed
to pay to Charles o. DunstalI, of
Geraldine, $11, ,O60 damages, sus-
tanned by him when rifle manu-
factured by Sir Charles exploded,
destroying his right eye, shatter-
ing his right eye, shattering his
cheek bone, fracturing his skull
and seriously disfiguring his face.
The story of Dunstalls accident
and the resulting legal encounter in
the dominion court serves again to
illustrate the ancient aphorism that
there is more of the unexpected in
truth than in fiction. The plot of
many best seller has been rounded
out with detail less amazing than
could be put into a chronologic-
al account of DunstalPs experiences
since he went hunting big game on
the south fork of the Flathead on
October 3, 1917. Dunstall himself
could not tell the whole story, for
much of it transpired while he was
unconscious.
Dunstall had heard many glowing
accounts of the Ross high-power
rifle. 1t would shoot farther and do
| greater execution than any other
make. Before starting for the Flat
head he went into a Geraldine store
and bought one. He knew some
thing about rifles and from what he
could see the one made by Sir Char
les was all that he thought a rifle
should be. He liked the way it
snugged against his cheek, he liked |
the grip and the balance and the |
lines of it, but more than anything
else he liked the driving force it |
could put behind bullet. He was
going into a country where trophy
might be secured only with gun /
thus equipped.
How the Accident Occurred.
F'ifty-five miles from Coram, the
nearest settlement, and 78 miles
from Kalispell, Dunstall and his
party made camp. The new rifle |
had not been tried and at 1 in the |
afternoon Dunstall set up a target |
and made ready to acquaint himself /
with the weapon and to adjust the
sights. The first two shells failed Il
to explode and were removed with II
ramrod. J. F. Twitchell and L.
P. Thornquist were with the party
and what happened when the third
shell was thrown into the chamber
is told by them. Twitchell was some
distance away when he heard the re-
port of DunstalTs rifle, running back
fn in 40 cI
help. Dunstall was lying on the
ground, apparently dead.
Twftc chell thought that his friend
had been shot. A great hole showed
in the right cheek, two inches be-
low the eye, and the wound was
bleeding terribly, Nothing about
the mans face appeared natural.
The bolt from the rifle lock had been
ripped from it's fastening by the force
of the charge and hurled through
the safety device and against Dun
stalls face, penetrating the right
cheek two inches below the eye.
Doctor Miles Away.
When it had been determined that
Dunstall was alive first aid treatment
was given and the victim made as
comfortable as possible, but this lat
ter was more to satisfy the party's
idea of the fitness of things than to
give comfort to Dunstall. Dunstall
was already comfortable-m
y unconscious. Two miles away
was a telephone and DR.. c. Greusel
was summoned, but 78 miles separat- j
ed him from the patient.
DR.. GreusePs part in what follow
I'd has proper place in the record.
n a history of the accident, briefed f
Is such a document can be by the
of every unnecessary
yord, space enough is spared to say
hat DR.. GreuseIs trip to the camp r
# the hunting party was marvel
'us feat of endurance and persis-
ency. The doctor rode to Coram
n an automobile, but the remaining y
5 miles could be made only by sad
lie horse. For "a hours without b
est Doctor Greusel rode, arriving at 81
he camp on the afternoon of Oct y
Der A and Immediately performing
he operation that unquestionably a
aved Dunstall's life.
Brought Out ON Travois. II
Dunstall had remained uncon-
cious practically all of the time un-
i DR.. Greusel reached the camp, but d
fter the operation his faculties be- h
an to reassert themselves. The \
ext day, October 5, 48 hours after =
le accident, they started for Kalis-
ell with the patient On a travois
gged to the gentlest horse with the b
arty Dunstall was placed and no 3
ne has even yet attempted to de- b
,ribe what he endured during the E
ext two days, for it was not until b
ctober z that they reached Coram. N
install did not know of the exis- &
nee of Sir Charles, but it was on u
is trip that things began to look 3
Id for the gentleman in Quebec Is
OF once-not when the dragging W