W. T. DAVIDSON, a 14 year old boy living with his mother and brother, on South Ellis street, was accidentally shot by his brother, Wilken, several years his senior, Sunday morning about 10 o'clock while the boys were cleaning a Colt 32 caliber revolver.

The mother of the boys has been away from the city for the past week visiting friends and relatives in Kennett and they got out the revolver Sunday morning to give it a good cleaning. Wilken had the gun in his hands and in some manner accidentally discharged it, the bullet striking his younger brother,who was sitting near him, in the right side, near the hip bone, and passing entirely through the hip.

Neighbors who heard the report of the gun hurried to the DAVIDSON home, where they found the boy badly hurt and immediatly sent for Dr. Paul R Williams, the Harrig surgeon. Dr. Williams hurried to the DAVIDSON home and gave the lad temporary treatment and then had him conveyed to St. Francis hospital, where he and Dr. John D Porterfield operated on him.

The doctors found that the bullet had passed through one loop of intestines and had grazed the hip bone, slightly splintering it, making it a very dangerous wound.

The lad rested very well Sunday afternoon and night, much better tan the doctors had anticipated, and was reported this morning as improving rapidly.

Mrs. DAVIDISON, mother of the boy, was telephoned shortly after the accident occurred and arrived here from Kennett on the early train today. She was nearly overcome when the news of the accident reached her, but upon arriving here and finding her son getting so nicely was greatly relieved. August 1914

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DAVIDSON boy dies from bullet wound

W. T. DAVIDSON, the 14 year old boy who was accidentally shot by his brother, Wilton, last Tuesday morning, died at St. Francis Hospital yesterday morning at 4 o'clock, just one week after receiving the bullet wound.

As reported to the Republican last Monday, the DAVIDSON boys were cleaning a pistol when it accidentally discharged and the bullet too effect in the young boy's right side, passing entirely through and coming out the back. One loop of intestines was cut pretty badly by the bullet, which caused some alarm to be felt over the outcome, but he got along fairly well until Saturday, when he suddenly began growing worse and late that evening it was seen that death was imminent at most any time.

Funeral services over the body was held this afternoon at 2:30 at the home and internment took place at the city cemetery.

Many of the young boys of the city who had grown up with him and a Presbyterian Sunday school class, of which he was a member, attended the funeral in a body, to pay their last respects to their life long friend. August 1914

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Mother of boy killed two years ago died today

Mrs. Callie P (SLAUGHTER) DAVIDSON, mother of W. T. DAVIDSON, who was accidentally shot by an older brother, Wilton, two years ago last August, died today at 10:30 this morning at her home, 540 South Pacific St, after an illness lasting about two years.

Mrs. DAVIDSON was 38 years, 11 months and 9 days old and had lived in Cape Girardeau fro several years. She leaves a mother, one son and one daughter to mourn her death.

The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 2:00, services to be said at the house by pastor of the Second Methodist church. Internment will be in Fairmount cemetery.

Mrs. DAVIDSON's youngest son was shot while the older son was cleaning a revolver. The older boy was sitting on a bed in his room and the younger boy was standing nearby. The revolver was not believed to be loaded and wen Wilton picked it up and started to clean it, it was discharged, the bullet striking the younger boy in the abdomen. He was rushed to the hospital and an effort was made to save his life, but he expired several days later. September 1916

All three articles from the Southeast Missourian Newspaper