Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1878 — The Old Story of a Loaded Pistol and a Tragedy. [ARTICLE]

The Old Story of a Loaded Pistol and a Tragedy.

A most deplorable accidentoccurred, Monday morning, at the residence of Mr. Charles Cottrell, an engineer, living at No. 818 Exchange street, in this city. Preparations were in progress for removal to another house, but at the time of the tragedy Mr. Cottrell was down town. Mrs. Cottrell was making a call at the house of a neighbor, and the only inmates of the house were Mrs. Elizabeth Dowler, who was awidowed sister of Mrs. Cottrell, and Charlie and Gracie Cottrell, aged respectively .six and four years. The children were in k|rs. Dowler’s room, which was on the second floor; and. knowing that his aunt was about to take up her carpet, Charlie thought to take a hand in the work. He went to the wardrobe, climbed up on a chair, and began to search for a tack hammer in a drawer where miscellaneous household _ conveniences were kept. He failed to find what he wanted, but he did find a four-barreled Sharp's pistol, which at once engrossed his attention. After handling it for awhile, he cocked it just as Mrs. Dowler appeared at the door of the room. The lad, thoughtlessly and without any conception of the great danger of the act, pointed the pistol at her, with the remark, “ Look out, Aunt Lib, I’m going to shoot you.” As he said this, he pulled die trigger,, and there was a report, accompanied by the scream of the lady as she fell to the floor. Little Gracie began to cry, and Charlie,, comprehending that something terrible had happened, ran to the prostrate lady and begged her to get up and stop acting that way, as it frightened his sister so

much. Blood was now flowing upon the carpet, and the children, losing ail presence of mind, stood there without making an effort to summon assistance. After recovering from the first shock, Mrs. Dowler managed to arise, and staggering to the floor, went down stairs by aid of the railing and opened the front door, bleeding profusely at each step. She saw Miss Van Dillen, who (lives next door, and had iust strength to call out that Charlie had shot her with a revolver, when she again fell to the floor. In a few moments Mrs. Cottrell and several neighbors were gathered around her, and she was carried to her bed. Dr. O’Gallagher was summoned without delay, and finding that the bullet had entered the right breast and penetrated the cavity in the direction of the heart, he pronounced the case hopeless. Dr. Barker was called in, and the two physicians did what they could to alleviate the sufferings of the lady. She stated to them the details of the shooting as above given, and the little boy, who was greatly grieved by the result of his thoughtlessness, made alike statement. At half-past nine o’clock, just an hour after the shooting, the patient died. She was perfectly consciours to the last, and requested that she be buried by the side of her husband. The Coroner was notified, and, an examination being made, a verdict of death by accidental shooting was rendered.—St. Louis Republican.