The Coconino sun., 1927-02-04
KILLED HIMSELF WHILE
POOLING WITH OLD GUN
CONTINUED from page ID

chair.
Mrs. Balensifer began screaming
frantically. She was heard by Dep
uty Sheriff Bill Smith and Constable
B. L. Black, only a block or so away |
at the county jail, and they We're |
there in a moment. They found Balen-
sifer sitting in an arm chair, his legs
crossed, a book of accounts Under his
arm and his head resting on the back
of the chair, in as natural position as
though he were asleep or resting. me
powder from the shot had set his
shirt on fire, and Deputy Smith ex-
tinguished the blaze.
In the meantime the little girl had
run to the home of Professor and Mrs.
Maxemin, where she sobbingly told
them her daddy was dead. They
rushed to the scene of the tragedy.
Frank Augustus Way Balensifer
was born April 26, 1894 at Henry,
I'll. He served Ii years in the U. ).
Marine corps, his honorable discharge
from his third term of enlistment be-
ing secured in September, 1924, at his
request after he came to Flagstaff to
visit his mother.
The discharges from the Marine
corps show his record for military eff
fiicency, obedience and sobriety all
excellent He was promoted to cor
poral, then to gunnery sergeant. He
had high marks as marksman and
sharpshooter. On one discharge the
notation is "Service honorable and
faithful" on another Awarded good
conduct medal Much of his work
with the marine corps was as radio
electrician, part of the time in Haiti.
He saw nearly a years service in
France. He never was wounded.
Getting leave at San Diego three
years ago, Balensifer came here to
/ visit his mother and soon afterward
secured his discharge. He began
/ work that summer at Ed. Babbitt's
gaarge. as electrician and battery
man and had that job at the time OF
his death. During the summer of
1925, he wrote a childhood sweet
heart in Philadelphia, Mrs. Elizabeth
/ Can1ia, who had in the meantime
married and whose husband was
dead, to come here. She and her lit
tie daughter Marie, now aged 10,
came and they were married here on
July % of that year.
Mr.. Balensifer was highly esteemed
| by both his employer, Ed. Babbltt,
and his fellow employees, as well as
| by the other garage men OF this city,
/ for his ability, energy and reliability.
I He was a graduate Of the Sweeney
school of Kansas City, and was re-
garded as probably the most expert
! battery man in Flagstaff.
Monday afternoon at the garage
I Mr.. Balensifer was in unusually good
spirits. He and Walter Bennett dis
cussed what parts to get for an au-
| tomobile Balensifer planned rebuild
/ ing for his own use. He was noted
among those who knew him best for
/ his kindness and diligence and espe-
cially for his love of home and FAM
ily.
| The funeral was held on Wednesday
under the auspices of the local Ameri-
/ can Legion post and the Odd Fellows,
and interment was i'll the Odd Fell
lows cemetery.
The firing squad, all in military
uniform, were Captain j. B. Wright,
1st Lieut.. James X. Bryan, 1st Lieut..
John Matthews, 2nd Lieut.. Henry II.
Gais;ser, Sgt. James L. Petrie, Sgt.
| Clarence johnson, Herschel Hill, Mich
ael Ginsburg and Bugler Joe Con
zales.
The pail bearers, all Babbitt en-
ployes, were John Byron, w. s..
Beard, Chet R. Munroe, Earl Hyde, +.
I NJ. Katus and George Tanning.
The inquest was held before Police
Magistrate Clarence It. Pulliam, act
ing coroner. The men on the coroners
jury were Jim Treagle, foreman, Bob
Irwin, Tom Mcmillan, G. C. Belts,
Buck Newberry and Cal Featherstone.