Holmes Willie01

Waupaca County Post

September 2, 1886

Shot in the Back

One day last week Johnnie Lea picked up a discarded target cartridge his father had thrown away after having tried several times to discharge it, and took it home with him. Tuesday, when his mother was away from home, he put the cartridge in his father’s rifle and went to the door to see if he could discharge it. Willie Holmes, son of Mr. Holmes, of the Republican, was with him and followed to the door, going out the screen door, under the gun and coming up in front of it just as Johnnie dropped the muzzle down and pulled the trigger. Of course it went off that time! There was a boy in front of it ! The bullet entered Willie’s back, near the spine, and just below the point of the hip bone, struck that, and glanced downward, making a painful but not a serious wound. Mr. and Mrs. Lea feel as bad as possible, over the accident, but were in no way to blame for it as neither knew Johnnie had the discarded cartridge and the others were out of his reach.