Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1901 — BAD ACCIDENT. [ARTICLE]

BAD ACCIDENT.

Borntrager, 2| miles south of town, was badly wounded last Saturday while out rabbit bunting. It seems that Joe and his brother-in-law, John Zink, of Ohio, went out hunting together. Zink had a gun but Joe only had a revolver. After being out awhile the 14-year-old son of Andrew Ropp came along with a gun and wanted to go with them. They allowed him to do so and soon a rabbit jumped up and Joe shot at it with his revolver, missing it. He then told the boy to shoot it, but isntead of shooting at once he waited until it turned and was right in range of Joe, when he shot, the whole charge striking the latter in a sort of glancing way on the left shoulder blade, breaking the bone and lodging in the fleshy part of the shoulder, inflicting an ugly and painful wound, although not a very dangerous one as the shot struck no vital spot. Mr. Borntrager had on a heavy duck coat, an undercoat, vest, shirt and undershirt, which no doubt helped greatly in shielding him from the shot. He was only a few feet from the boy when the gun was fired, and his escape from instant death was miraculous. He is now getting along rrtcely, but the wound is quite painful and will keep him in bed for several days. A whole armload of old papers for a nickel at The Democrat office.