SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 56, 25 February 1913, Page 2

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

A shocking gun accident happened at Bajikstown on a recent Saturday afternoon when a. little boy of four years, sou of Thomas McDonough, living at Liverpool Road, Bankstown, shot his brother Albert, aged six years, the wo and proving fatal. The two) boys, Thomas and Albert, had been out gathering wood, and were hauling home a log when they wore overtaken by their father, who iiad be«i in the bush after rabbits. Ho was cairying a gun, and seeing that, the lit* tie chaps were overtaxing their strength wi.(h the log, lie handed the gun to the younger and shouldered the piece of wood. They were trudging along tho road, the father and elder hoy in front, tho younger toddler bringing up the rear, proud in the possession of the pun, as tall again as himself. Suddenly a loud reixirt was heard, and the elder son sank to the ground with a. groan. Turning round, the horrified parent saw that the gun had exploded, and that tho full charge had entered the back of Thomas. Realising the terrible nature of the accident. McDonough dropped the log and picking up the. wounded lad hastened away to the nearest doctor. In tho meantime a doctor had been telephoned for and after travelling about a milo the heart-broken father met Dr Holmes. The child, however, was bevond all human' aid, having just expired in his father's arms. How the accident happened is not quite clear. McDonough was not aware that the weapon contained a cartridge when he handed it to tho little boy. It was there, however, and the child's hands in some way found the trigger and the weapon exploded.