The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-10-02
STUMBLES AND
FALLS ON RIFLE
Henry Becker, 20, Meets
Strange Death Saturday
Evening Here.
BULLET THROUGH LUNG
Gun, Discharged Accidentally,
Sends Bullet Through
His Right Lung.

Death came in a strange sudden way
Saturday evening to Henry Becker, ~
years of age of 228 Maple Court, who
was accidentlly shot to death by gun
in his own hands when he slipped while
attempting to. shoot at rat In his
fathers barn at the rear of the house
az E55 North Pleasant street. He fell
on the rifle which he was carrying in
such way that it was accidentally
discharged sending bullet into his
right lung and causing death ten min
utes later.
The accident occurred just after
five o'clock Saturday afternoon. Young
Becker had been aiding his father,
Charles Becker, a teaming contractor,
to put load of hay in the barn and
had been standing in the door just
before the accident happened.
Father Heard His Cries.
No one actually saw the accident.
The father was in another part of the
barn but heard the young man groan
and hurried to his side to find him
dying. 1t seems certain, however, that
young Becker had seen a rat and seiz-
ing a Winchester % short rife, which
was always kept in the barn for that
purpose, had stepped out into, the
driveway to shoot at it. The driveway
was wet from rain and his foot must
have slipped in the clay, throwing him
forward on the gun.
If he had had his finger on the trig
ger of the gun, it is easy to under
stand how the gun was accidentally
discharged when he fell upon it. The
blank cartridge found in the rife
showed that the trigger had been
twice accidentally pulled before the
fatal bullet was sent into the mans
I lung.
Died Ten Minutes Later.
The father hearing the young mans
proans hurried from the barn to find
his son leaning over and groaning.
When he reached him, the son fell over
on the ground dying. Mrs. Dora
Jacobs, sister, also heard the shot
from the house and rushed to the
scene. Irving Snyder, who was also in
the barn, likewise helped to aid the
young man.
Two physicians were summoned i'm
mediately, but were unable to do any
breathing his last when they reached
him. He never regained consciousness,
Judge John C. Slater, acting coroner,
was called Immediately and took
charge. At his direction an autopsy
was held over the remains at the
Mischler Mortuary, and in this the
physicians discovered that the bullet
had pierced the Fight lung and then
had been DETECTED so that it tore a
hole through corner of the heart
this last causing death.
Henry Becker, the victim of the
accident, was born in Kenosha July
%, 1895, the son of Mr.. and Mrs
Charles Becker. He had lived all hi!
life in Kenosha, having been associat
ed with his father in the teaming bust
ness.
On May %, 1924, he was married
to Miss Rose Poeller, who survives
him. He is also survived by his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Becker, two
sisters, Mrs. William Jacob and Miss
Della Becker and two brothers, Rich
Gr6 and William Becker, all of Keno
sha.
The funeral services will be held or
Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the
home of his parents, 25S North Pleas
ant street, followed by services al
$3.50 at the Emmanuel M. E. church OF
Sheridan road, with the Reverend ]
L. Panzlau officiating. The remains
were taken this afternoon from thu
Mischler Mortuary to the home az 25S
North Pleasant street.