Solomon O. Ernst (1872)

ERNST

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 6/18/2007 at 21:04:36

Winterset Madisonian
Thursday, December 19, 1872
Page 4

Accidental Death

Last Sabbath morning the town was startled with the news that a fellow citizen had accidently come to his death. The particulars of the accident are these: About a month ago Solomon O. Ernst came from Gentry county, Missouri, and hired himself as a laborer to John Wilcox of Union township. Last Saturday he loaded a double barreled shotgun and during the day discharged on barrel at a rabbit. He then hung the gun over his bed. Sunday morning he ate his breakfast and went to his room. He had only had time to get to his room and take down his gun when a discharge was heard. Mr. Wilcox and family rushed in the room and found Ernst lying across the bed, his head resting on is hand, dead. The contents of the gun had entered his breast and passed through his heart. The gun was loaded with bird shot. It is supposed that in some way he must have struck the hammer of the gun against the bed, but just how is not so clear.

The Coronor, Dr. C. H. Coon, was at once notified and he summoned a jury and proceeded to hold an inquest. The jury returned the verdict that the deceased came to his death by the accidental discharge of a gun in his own hands. The medical witnesses were Doctors Tidrick and Cherry. The deceased was nineteen years of age and unmarried.