Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1915 — MOTHER OF EIGHT IS SHOTGUN VICTIM [ARTICLE]

MOTHER OF EIGHT IS SHOTGUN VICTIM

Woodsmen’s Camp Near Parr Scene of Terrible Tragedy Last Saturday Afternoon. Mrs. H. S. jfrout, mother of eight, was killed by a shotgun accident Saturday afternoon, at a .woodsmen’s camp on the Joe Kosta farm, two miles south of Parr. Her death was the result of the careless handling of the weapon by Clarence Miller, her son-in-law. The Krouts and Miller and his wife lived in a tent, the meager size of which gave 'room for all of the belongings of the poor family. Tn the afternoon Mrs. Kraut tyisied herself with the thousands of things a mother of eight found ts do, Miller, whose wife is the oldest Kraut daughter, took the shotgun and went outside to try to kill a rabbit. The shell caught and he tried to force it in. He paid no attention in what direction the gun was pointed. It was discharged and the shot tore a hqle through the side of the tent and then through the right breast and right arm of the tired mother of eight. Dr. Washburn was called at once. He ; thought the woman not so seriously hurt, and gave her what comfort lie could, but he had scarcely left the tent when the tired mother-gasped two or three times and passed from her tent life into the great beyond, lot .us hope to have complete surcease from the sorrow and hardship she had undertone heie. One or two of the had entered her right lung, causing death. The Krouts came to Jasper county from Fountain county. Appar- 1 ently Mr. Krout is a good mast and had done all that he could for his family, but poverty had kept at thcit ( door and the eight children, ages-from baby of seven months to the in a rried daughter, whose husband held . the shotgun that *E©4ftht such havoc. Ohe little tot, the second youngest, also received a shot, one of the little leaden pellets being embedded in its arm. *Dr. (’. E. Johnson, who on Jan, Ist succeeded W. J. Wright as county coroner, accompanied Undertaker Wright to the scone of the tragedy to conduct a court of inquiry. Ail evidence was to the effect that the shooting was accidental. Young Miller had simply been careless to a degree approaching criminal negligence in not having. the_ gun pointed off Into the woods instead of toward the tent and the mother of eight. The funeral is being held today, Monday, at Fair Oaks. The poor father and the motherless children are left in a pitiable state by, the tragedy.