“The dead body of Frank Wolfe, a young farmer, who had accidentally shot himself, while out shooting at crows, was found by a searching party on Dutch Ridge, back of Sciotoville, Wednesday night. The double-barreled shot gun, with hammer down, mutely told the tale of the tragedy.”
“The body was found by ‘Gabe’ Daniels, a neighbor, about five hundred yards from the Wolfe home. The ridge is located between Swauger’s Valley and the Harrisonville pike and two miles north of Sciotoville. The body was still warm. Part of the head was blown off, presenting a shocking sight. The gun had dropped across young Wolfe’s arm as he fell on his back.”
“Everything pointed to accidental shooting. Nearby lay a log between six and eight inches in diameter. It rested a little up off the ground and in stepping over the obstruction Wolfe’s gun must have been caught.”
“The young man left home between four and five o’clock Wednesday evening, for a short hunt around the ridge. He had not gone fifteen minutes when others of the family heard the report of a shot. Nothing was thought of it at the time. Later in the evening though when the young man failed to return inquiry was made in the neighborhood. It was thought he might have called somewhere enroute home. No one had seen him and as the hours passed the fear grew that an accident might have befallen him. A searching party was formed. Daniels walked in advance of the others and found the body about ten o’clock. It was immediately carried home, where heartrending scenes followed its bringing into the house.”
Coroner Notified
“An hour after the finding of the body the facts were reported to Dr. Stewart, of Sciotoville, who in turn notified Coroner Edwards.”
“The accident was strikingly similar to the one which resulted in the death of Clyde Bender, a young man of the same vicinity last fall.”
“Wolfe was about nineteen years of age and a son of Samuel Wolfe, a highly respected farmer of that neighborhood. John Daniels, who is employed at the N. & W. car shops, was a brother-in-law, and Frank Wolfe, of New Boston, was an uncle of the boy.”
Coroner’s Verdict.
“Coroner Edwards will return a verdict of accidental shooting in the death of Frank Wolfe, whose dead body was found on a Ridge in Harrison township Wednesday night.”
“The coroner visited the Wolfe home Thursday morning. He found the upper part of the young man’s head had been shot away. The eyes were carried out and the skull crushed to a pulp. The victim was seventeen years of age last April, but large and well developed for his age. The mother1 was almost prostrated over her boy’s horrible death.”2
- Lucina Lambert Weeks Wolfe
- Frank Wolfe accidentally killed while hunting crows. (1904, July 16). Portsmouth Times, p. 7.
