Accidental shooting of Marvin Hardy in 1922 in Richland Parish Louisiana Submitted by his niece Dot Golliher in June 1998 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The is a copy of the newspaper article from a Monroe or Rayville paper, about the fatal shooting of Marvin Hardy in 1922.It was copied by his niece who was born some 27 years after his death, but who felt she truly knew him personally as she heard so much about him in her childhood. Truly this was a very sad event and one that lived on in the lives of the mother, father, siblings, grandparents and the beloved uncle who did the shooting as long as any of them lived. The hearing of the recounting of this story and the grieving witnessed by this niece of the boy and granddaughter of the Hardy's has proven this was a non-forgettable event for the past 71 years. I, Dot Golliher am that niece and I want to say the mother of the boy, my grandmother ,had the greatest Christian witness I have ever seen in any one but even though she lived some 67 years beyond this event it was forever fresh on her mind. PROMISING BOY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT Marvin Hardy shot and killed by accidental discharge of rifle in the hands of Wesley Stevenson On last Sunday morning an entire community was shocked and grieved beyond human expression by the unfortunate accidental shooting and death of Marvin Hardy,15 year old son of Mr. & Mrs. J.E. Hardy by Wesley Stevenson,15 year old son of Mr.& Mrs. M.H. Stevenson of 12 miles above Rayville. The boys were inseparable companions, about the same age, and young Stevenson being the uncle of the Hardy youth. They were together at the home of Mr. Stevenson, father of the boy who fired the fatal shot and grandfather of the Hardy boy. They engaged in unloading a 38- caliber Winchester rifle and worked the lever which ejects the cartridges several times after the cartridges had ceased to fall from magazine and had snapped the weapon a time or two. Marvin grabbed the cartridges from the floor, where they had fallen from the rifle, and ran inviting the other boy to shoot. Feeling sure the rifle was unloaded, he leveled the weapon and pulled the trigger, and to his horror, it fired, the bullet ploughing its way through his devoted comrade's abdomen, entering the back and passing entirely through the boy's body, the leaden missile of death being found in the wounded boy's clothing. Hearing the report, Mr. Stevenson ran out of the house to the front porch and took his wounded grandson in his arms. His first thought was to ask his grandfather to see that Wesley be not censured, as he was as much to blame, an also to tell his mother and grandmother not to worry about him as he thought he was only lightly wounded. The wounded boy was brought to town and placed on the first train bound for Vicksburg, where it was hoped to save his life with an operation at Street's Sanitarium, but he died just as the train was crossing over the Mississippi River. The brave, manly young fellow was conscious to the last and had every hope of living though he was growing weaker all the time from loss of blood. His thoughts were always about the other boy, his mother, grandmother and other members of the family. He begged them not to blame Wesley and not to worry about him. The remains were returned Monday morning and taken to the Mann graveyard and, near the home of Mr. Stevenson and buried at noon. a large crowd of sympathetic friends were present and mingled their tears with the bereaved ones over the open grave of the bright and promising boy. The boy who accidentally fired the fatal shot is almost crazed with grief, and members of both the Hardy and Stevenson families are bowed down with the greatest sorrow a human heart can know. This is one of the saddest tragedies we have ever known. The handsome, brave boy, only son of his fond parents was cut down right in the springtime of his glorious youth, just as he was approaching a useful life. He had been led in the way of righteousness and truth by a devoted Christian mother and upright, honesr father, and he had always sweetened their lives by his tenderness and devotion. His death is not only an affliction to those near to him, but the grief is universally felt in the community. The boy had impressed himself upon all who came in contact with him, and his untimely taking off has cast a gloom over a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. May God in His wisdom dispense grace, mercy and peace of mind to the two families, whose grief and sorrow none but they can know. Let them take comfort in the knowledge that a boy with a soul so radiant with love,is now at rest with the redeemed.