Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Richard Bennett, 1919
20 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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BENNETT, RICHARD
(23 Dec 1919, Sayre Headlight, Sayre, Beckham Co, OK):
On Sunday last J. W. Bennett and family, residing southwest of Erick, were
spending the day with the family of Prof. J. W. Dennis, near Delhi.  The
children of both families were enjoying themselves, and two youngsters,
one from each family, went up stairs and were playing.  Two older boys, or
about ten years of age, followed later and found the two little fellows
playing with a rifle.
A son of Mr. Dennis attempted to take the gun from the children, and in
the scuffle the gun was discharged, hitting a ten year old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Bennett, the ball passing through both lungs, and death following
about three hours later.
There is absolutely no question but that the shooting was entirely
accidental, there being no quarrel among the children, but the older
Dennis boy realized that it was unsafe for the six year old boys to have
the gun, and attempted to get it away from them, and it was accidentally
discharged - the very thing which he was attempting to prevent.
Both families are well known over Beckham county, and this distressing
accident has cast a gloom over the holiday festivities in which they and
their friends were preparing to participate.  Both families have the
sympathy not only of their friends, but of all Beckham county.
(25 Dec 1919, Thursday, Erick Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
Sunday evening about 2 P.M. at the home of Prof. J. W. Dennis east of
town, Richard, the 10 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bennett, was
accidently (sic) shot and died four hours later.
It seems that he with other playmates, who had gone to the Dennis home,
had gone to an upstairs room and there in play had gotten hold of a loaded
magazine gun.  One of the Dennis boys, about 12 years of age, took the
gun, intending to return it where taken from and as he turned around, the
gun in some manner, none know why, was discharged, strikeing (sic)
Richard, who was standing from four to six feet away, but who had not
touched the gun; the load hit him in the side, just below the heart,
passing through his body.  He regained conciousness (sic) shortly after
being wounded and remained so for some time before his death.  His parents
were with him, having gone to the Dennis home for dinner, from church.
From all the detailed facts that we can learn, no one is to blame and it
was simply the result of boyish play with that most dangerous weapon; an
unloaded gun.
The funeral services were conducted by Elder J. C. Carman of Texola at the
Church of Christ in this city, in the presence of a large audience of
relatives and friends after which the body was laid to rest in the Erick
Cemetery.