South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-03
WAR VETERAN, SHOT
ACCIDENTALLY, IN
BATTLE FOR LIFE
Owen Hand Waging Plucky
Fight Against Death -Ex-
pected To Recover.

Fourteen months training and
. service on the battlehe.ds OF France
and a spirit which takes death lightly
are two % the factors which are
aiding owen Hand. local war veteran
who was accidentally shot Sunday
afternoon 20 win his fight for life ar
+ Epworth hospital
1 Hand who served with the 42nd
engineers during the World war. was
taken to the hospital late Sunday. a
bullet from a % caIibre revolver
/ having entered his abdomen and
/ lodged near the heart. For a time
I little hope was held for his recovery
as he entered the hospital several
hours after the accident in a greatly
weakened condition due TO the loss
of blood However. the same pluck
that enabled him 20 walk several
miles with blood flowing from the
wound In his stomach Is pulling
him through and late last night at
tendants at the hospital reported that
he was greatly improved and stood
every chance Of recovery. The crisis
VIII not be reached for about three
days. they said.
Searched For Doctor.
IL became known yesterday that
Hand, after having accidentally shot
himself while in the gun and bicycle
repair shop at 1881 y. Main ST. OPP
Grated jointly by himself and X. A.
Boyd, leisurely changed his blood
saturated shirt and started in search
OF a doctor. After having walked
IL
ed his condition and ordered his re-
moval to the hospital.
AT the hospital, through a misun-
Outstanding the wounded man, suf-
fering greatly from the shock of the
wound. became obsessed with the
idea that he had better go TO the
home of his brother. Edward. for
medical care. Leaving the hospital
unobserved he walked alone 10 his
brothers home at 74S Portage av-
although he had been bleeding for
a considerable period and was near
exhaustion.
Loses Much Blood.
At his brothers home he did not
lose consciousness nor once take
serious cognizance of his wound al
though three pals We're filed by the
blood flowing from the wound
A physician was then SUNNI oned
and the wounded war veteran was
taken once more to the hospital.
where DR.. T. J. Swantz operated on
him. removing the bullet
The brother. Edward. 10 whose
home he went after being wounded.
D
death. having miraculously escaped
last January after being electrocuted
while i'm the employ of the Otis Ele-
vator Co at Elkhart. lie has never
fully recovered from the accident,
however Hands mother is dead
while his father is living in this city.
Officials of the American Legion
and other veterans organization
are leaving nothing undone to aid
their gritty comrade while the
wounded man himself conscious
from the first will rely on that same
spirit shown Sunday to win for him.
a regrettable sideiight on the
shooting was disclosed yesterday
morning when il was discovered that
thieves. who are believed TO have
learned of the accident to Hand sun
day. took advantage of this 10 break
into the shop and steal two guns
The robbery was noticed by Mr.. Boyd
upon his arrival at the shop this
morning.
one of the guns the property of.
Mr.. Boyd, was a Winchester repeat
ing shot gun, y gauge. 1912 model
while the other belonged 10 August
Bultinck st. Louis blvd, and was a
25-20 Winchester repeating rifle
The paddock had been broken off
the door of the shop. but no other
articles were disturbed. according to
Mr. RONd