Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1910 — Boy Shot With Rifle Has Mighty Narrow Escape. [ARTICLE]

Boy Shot With Rifle Has Mighty Narrow Escape.

Frederick Thomas, 14-year-old son of Joe Thomas, of near Surrey, was shot in the left shoulder and neck Sunday with a target rifle and by the narrowest margin missed death. The rifle was in the hands of his brother Joe, who is 16 years of age. Fred was walking along slightly in front of Joe and when the latter raised his rifle to shoot into a squirrel’s nest the gun was discharged. Fred was only a few feet away and the bullet grazed his left shoulder and penetrated the neck. A physician was called and from the location of the wound it seemed impossible that the bullet failed to cut an artery in the neck—An X-ray photo was taken and it disclosed the bullet lodged against the first rib, which had stopped thb little leaden missle and apparently no serious harm was done although the bullet had passed through the finest tissue of veins and muscles. As the bullet is loose it will probably cause no further trouble and no effort will be made to remove it. Unless infection starts it is believed the lad will get along all right and this Monday morning he was able to be brought to town by his father to have the wound examined and dressed.