The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-25
HARRY MOEN Is
DEAD IN FIRST
HUNT ACCIDENT
Details Hazy as Companion
COllapses and Becomes Ir.
rational After Tragedy
GUN LAY IN BOAT BILGE
Discharge Enters Youths
Head as Journey Home Is
About to Start

Harry Moen, 21-year-old Hazen
youth, was shot and instantly killed
in North Dakota's first fatal 1928
hunting accident shortly after noon
Sunday about 20 miles northwest of
Hazen,
Moen's head was almost complete
ly blown off when shotgun was ac-
cidentally discharged in a boat in
which he and DR.. C. r. Chapman.
Hazen dentist, were riding. It is
believed that the shot was dis.
charged from Moen's gun, which was
lying in the bottom Of the boat.
DR.. Chapman collapsed shortly
after the accident and has been ir-
rational since, according to authori-
ties at Hazen.
Moen and Chapman, who have
hunted together for several wears.
left early Sunday morning for q
slough bordering the Missouri river
which is called Manchester lake.
where they hunted during the fore
noon. Rowing across the slough
about ready to leave for Hazen,
Moen exclaimed, "Here comes an
other bunch of dua)ss!"
Moen was sittinh in the front part
OF the boat with his back to Chap
man, who was sitting at the rear.
The two guns were loaded and were
on the floor of the boat. AS the
ducks flew over the boat, the pair
reached for the guns.
At this point one of the guns ex.
nI0nan
head. killing him instantly.
John Moses, states attorney for
Mercer county, believes that the
guns became cntangled with some
objects in the bottom Of the boat
and the commotion caused bv~tI;e
sighting of the ducks caused one Of
them to discharge.
Examination of Moen's gun re.
vealed five unexploded and one ex.
ploded shell in the gun, with the
safety released. This leads officials
to believe that the shot was dis.
charged from Moen's own gun. The
barrel of the gun in the boat was
pointed towards Moen's estimated
position.
Chapman took the body to shore,
leaving it on the ground about IS
feet from the shore of the slough.
and went to the farm of Jacob Has
ner, about three miles away. Chan
man reached the farm house as the
Hasner family was eating dinner.
ne was in an exhausted condition.
fteebly told the story of the shoot
ing to the farmer, and was put to
bed.>
He has been under q physicians
care since, being irrational most Of
the time, according to officials. Mo-
ses said that Chapman has been
suffering from a weak heart. and
the shock has left him in a serious
condition.
The farmer Immediately called
DR.. 5. P. Rasmussen, Beulah. and
took him to the body. Rasmussen
declared that Moen had been in
stantly killed. The body was taken
to Hazen shortly after Rasmussen
arrived.
Funeral services have been set for
z p. m. Wednesday at the Nor.
wegian Lutheran church at Hazen.
Rev. E. S. Tollefson will read the
services. Burial will be made at the
Hazen cemetery.
Parents Of deceased are Mr.. and
Mrs. John Moen. Mr.. Moen is \
justice of the peace at Hazen. Be-
sides his parents, deceased leaves
SIX sisters and two brothers. Sis
ters are Mrs. Petren Angon. Mrs.
Martin Hovland, Mrs. Selvin How
land. all Of Jamestown; Mrs. Carl
Nelson, Battle Lake, Minn.; Mrs.
Carl Eid, Kalispell, Mont; and Mrs.
Leonard 10y, Washburn.
Brothers are Nickol, Agnew, Cal,
and Lawrence, Hazen.
DR.. Chapman is about 35 years
old, and has wife and two children.