Evening star., 1925-01-11
LAD SHOOTS CHUM
WITH OLD PISTOL
Weapon With Tragic Tradi-
ton Plays Part in New
Year Tragedy.

An oId-fashfoued 32-caliber revol-
yer. originally the property of the
victim of murder in southern
State. nearly sent the chum or that
owners grandson across the Great
Divide yesterday afternoon in one OF
the most melodramatic episodes IN
daily life creeping into the spotlight
of police attention.
Tonight. with the affair virtually
closed. 12-year-old John T.. Blanks of
a04 East Capitol street is lying IN
Casualty Hospital with bullet III ms
back Just under the skin. with no ap-
parent serious effects from the
wound. His pal and schoolmate.
Bobby Evans, is at home at Apart
meut So. 316 East Capital street, just
as sure as a boy can be that he il
never point another revolver at any
one.
Gun Hns Tradition.
The drama started casually enough.
The old revolver, which is the prop
erty of Mrs. /. b, Evans, who had
brought it to Washington when she
came here IA years ago, after her
father, who had owned it, had been
murdered. She said last night that
the reason the revolver was kept
at all was at the request of her
mother. 1t had been in drawer IA
long years. 1t was there yesterday
when Mrs. Evans went out to get
food for the evening meal. The boys
started playing with toy structural
iron set. This ended the first act
of a true life drama. What happened
later was related by Bobby TO his
mother.
After playing a while, in the 1nan-
ner Of one boy to another. Bobby
asked John if he'd like 10 see a real
revolver.
sure" said John
4 know where one is he said. I'll
get it. but you mustn't put your hands
on it,
Bobby got it.
rs it Ioaded?' asked John
Nope" seriously replied Bobby
after examining it.
shoots Playmate.
And then, playfully, he stood di-
rectly in front OF the boy and fired.
You've shot me-" announced John,
not excitedly, as might have been eX-
pected. but as one imparting intor-
nation of serious nature.
Mo- haven't. have II" asked Bobby.
He couldn't believe it.
Yep. I'm bleeding"
wed better get a doctor.
And together, the boys, arms en-
circling each other, went down five
flights of stairs to the first floor
where DIR. William =. Wood was sum-
moned from his office across the
street at 329 East Capitol street. The
revolver lay forgotten on the floor.
Wide-eyed Billy, Bobby'S little
brother, helped tell the story to his
mother later by announcing, that
while he was out of the room, Bobby
''hurt John"
DR.. Wood rushed the boy to Casual
ty Hospital. There it was found that
the plant rib or central structure
supporting the ribs had met the bull
let and sent it around the right side
of the boys body to a point just to
the right of the spine.
1t was just under the skin. DR.,
Wood made a sort of a doughnut out
of gauze and the boy Is sleeping well
tonight. The case is interesting from
Il surgical standpoint, DR.. Wood said,
since it is rare that bone is found
of sufficient resiliency to cause a bull
let fired point blank to richochet
around a rib and result in a minor
wound.
Mrs. Evans, on her return home,
was overcome by the shock. She
was quickly revived and last night her
nervous condition was greatly relieved
when the announcement that the wound
was not considered serious was made.
And after Bobby had been assured
that mo one is going to take you" he
went off to sleep, convinced that re-
yolvers were not to be handled by
youngsters.