Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17
Removal of Lever Believed to Have Led
to Death.


BY a staff Correspondent of The Star.
SEAT PLEASANT, Md, December ~,
Removal of the safety catch on ms
SHOTGUN after being advised that this
would cause it to shoot faster Is pc
1ieved TO have been the indirect cause
of the death near Alexandria yester-
day of James G. Blackwell, clerk 10 tne
Prince Georges County commissioners.
blackwell was shot while hunting
ducks in the Potomac River on Welllng-
ron villa about $50 yesterday morning.
He was found dead in blind owned ny
hubert T. Fisher, former othclal OF Ine
southern Maryland Trust Co, ana no
land Perry of South Clifton Terrace
The" The County clerk had gone hunting
with Marshall Wood and Rudolpn
TnScoe both of Alexandria. After shoot
inc several ducks his two companions
left the blind to pick up the pros
while out they heard another snot
which sounded muff1ed, but they De-
1ieved he was shooting another ouck;
when they returned to the bllno, tney
found Blackwell on the moor WlCn wv
12-gauge shotguns near MN. a cLtar
of Shot from one OF them nae eICe stI,,
his heart and he died almost Instantly
Born in Texas.
blackwell was born in Hood county
Vexas. He was educated In the ST.
ondary schools at Fort worth anu c ~
a time worked as 1; lettercarrler III Dan
Antonio later he moved to Oklahoma,
1,hera he was a rural mancarrler: ne
came To washington at the start OF Cne
world war and obtained employment
in the War Department, remaining Ctiete
11ntiI 1917. when he was transferred 10
the Post Office Department:
On December 81, 1926, ne resigLSu
from the Government service ana tne
next day accepted his appointment rs H
clerk to the county commissioners. NE
position kept him before the pubic ano
he was in constant contact with the
county officials and residents at the
court house. AS result ne became one
of the best known men OF the county IA "a
xnite of the comparatively short time In
which he resided in it.
Blackwell was also secretary OF Ine
Seat Pleasant Building and Loan Asso-
c;stion and Marlboro correspondent for
the baltimore Sun. He was prominent
foo. in faternal circles, being cnarter
member of Seat Pleasant Masonic Looge,
No 2I8. and member of the Capltol
Heights Camp of the Woodmen OF the
World. and one of the organizers OF the
O. lahoma State Society in washington
Stunned by News.
News of his death first reached the
court house at Marlboro through Inc
Star and had stunning effect on the
nersonnel there. It was known Mr..
Bowie was to relinquish his place on the
board of county commissioners TO-DAY
and that he would become county clerk.
Blackwell was expected to remain az
the court house some time, however. to
help the new clerk in the various phases
of the office work. Blackwell had not
revealed his future plans to his aSSo-
ciates at the court house, but 1t was I'M
derstood he had been offered several po-
sitions, one with a Maryland automobile
concern.
The clerk was an ardent hunter and
had spent considerable time since the
opening of the season in the blinds.
He IS survived by his widow, Mrs.
Martha Blackwell, son, Claude, 20;
two daughters, Dorothy, II, and VIZ.
ginia, 8; three brothers. John F., Cech
IT. and Clifford; a sister, Mrs. Leta
Clark, and his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
A. B. Blackwell.