Ernest Stutzel 1906-1922

STUTZEL, MASON, MESSER

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/8/2007 at 07:50:28

Davenport Democrat and Leader; Davenport, Scott, Iowa; Tuesday, January 31, 1922 pg 15

Youth Kills Self With Another "Unloaded Gun" While Friend Looks On.
Ernest Stutzel, 16 Years old, Places Muzzle in Mouth, Pulls Trigger.

Another revolver which "wasn't loaded", claimed al ife last night, when Ernest Stutzel, 16 years old, a barber at 322 East Locust street, placed the muzzle of the weapon in his mouth, pulled the trigger, and blew out the back of his head. He was illustrating carelessness in handling a gun, when he fired the shot which caused his death.

Unconscious, the wounded man was sped in the ambulance to Mercy hospital, but efforts to save his life were fruitless, and he died at 9:30 p.m. three hours after the fatal shot. The bullet had smashed the base of his skull, and eflecting, lodged in his brain. He never regained consciousness.

The accidental victim of his own revolver resided with his brother-in-law, William J. Mason, 2123 LeClaire street, a few blocks from the barber shop, of which he was the proprietor.

Demonstrates Gun.

Young Stutzel was in his shop talking with Ross McNeal, another barber and telling him of the careless way he had seen a girl handle a revolver some time before.

"If the gun had been loaded, she would have shot herself." Stutzel said, telling his story to McNeal. He ran to the drawer of the stand and extracted the revolver.

"Like this. Watch," he directed McNeal.

Stutzel pulled the trigger rapidly but only a click resulted. AS the hammer fell the next time there was an explosion and the youthful barber toppled to the floor. He was unconscious when picked up.

Knew of Shell.

A peculiar feature of the cae was tha thalf an hour before Stutzel had shown the gun to another young man around the store and exposed one cartridge in the cylinder.

It was evident that when he was illustrating the act of the girl, he forgot that the shell was in the revolver.

Immediately after the war, young Stutzel enlisted for a short term and for a year was at Camp Lewis, Wash. He was discharged when his enlistment period was completed, and then returned to Davenport. He bought out the barber shop some time ago.

Born in McCausland.

Young Stutzel was born in McCausland in 1906. Surviving are four brothers, Walter, Harry, Charley and George Stutzel and two sisters, Mrs. William Mason with whom he resided and Mrs. William Messer.

The funeral will be held Thursday from the home of the brother Harry Stutzel of McCausland, with services at 10 O'clock at the McCausland church. Burial will be in the family lot in the McCausland cemetery.