OBIT: MAKIN, Burleigh; 1908; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 7 Aug 1908 Volume 42, Number 31 Ebensburg Young Man Shot to Death Burleigh Makin Found Dead in Spring Run Near Winterset With Bullet Hole Through His Head Many Different Stories are Prevalent as to How He Came to Meet His Death on Tuesday Squire Waters Conducts Inquest! On Wednesday afternoon last Oscar Hamilton of this place, a track repair hand on the Ebensburg and Cresson branch, while working on the railroad about three-fourths of a mile this side of Winterset, having occasion to go to a clump of weeds near the line between the land of John R. Davis and that of Eli Gettys, saw the body of a man lying on the left bank of a run from a spring with his feet in the water of the run, and thinking that the man was drunk, went to his side to arouse him when he was horrified to see a ghastly bullet wound in his head and calling his fellow workmen to the spot, an investigation was hurriedly made and word was telephoned in to District Attorney Leech, who immediately went to the spot and had the remains of the young man, who proved to be Burley (sic) Makin, the seventeen-year-old son of Robert Makin, of this place. The young man, it appears, had been out hunting ground hogs. By his side lay a double barrel breech loading 12-gauge shot gun with a loaded cartridge in the left barrel, there being no hammer on the right barrel, which was empty, so the theory that the shooting was accidental or suicidal was at once dismissed and it became apparent that the unfortunate young man met death, whether accidentally or otherwise, at the hands of some other person. Inquiry revealed the fact that the young man had been seen on land of Eli Gettys by Paul Gettys – a son of the former - about 4 o'clock on the previous afternoon, after which young Gettys went to pick potato bugs in a field near by, at which he was joined by his mother sometime after and about 4:45, hearing a shot in the woods near by, Paul said he saw a man carrying a gun and running as if he were wild in the direction of where the body was found. Mrs. Gettys also said she saw the man, having his gun pointed upwards when she heard the shot and saw smoke issuing from the muzzle of the gun, and when she saw the man running she thought that he had shot something and paid no further attention to it. Paul also said that he had called to the man he saw to get out, as there were cattle in the woods and shooting was not allowed there. The remains were brought to town to the undertaking establishment of Jeff Evans and District Attorney Leech immediately notified Coroner Miller, who authorized Squire A. J. Waters to hold an inquest; and the same evening the following jury was empanelled: John F. Tibbott, Chares Hasson, W. A. Knauer, Oscar Hamilton, Joseph J. Davis and F. J. Wills. After viewing the remains of the deceased at Evans' undertaking establishment where Drs. Jones and Bennett had previously made the autopsy, the jury retired to the office of Squire Waters, where several witnesses were examined. The first witness examined was Paul Gettys who told how he had seen the young man as heretofore stated and Mrs. Gettys repeated her story as has been already narrated. In answer to a question propounded by jurors Hamilton and Wills, if they did have a 32- calibre rifle, both gave a negative answer. The question was propounded for the reason that both these jurors had seen young Gettys using a .32-calibre rifle shooting blank cartridges to scare crows some time ago. Dr. Jones and Bennett next arrived and the former gave an account of the result of the post mortem examination which the latter corroborated and which was to the effect that death had been caused by a gunshot wound penetrating the brain, the bullet having entered the parietal bone at the left side of the back of the head and passed out of the same bone on the right over the right eye, the size of the missile, judging from the holes in the hat behind and in front, was a .32-calibre bullet. The hat, a soft white felt one, was found under the body of the deceased. It would have been possible, both physicians said, for the victim to have walked a considerable distance after he had been shot. No other marks were found on the person of the deceased. Rigor mortis had set in, showing that the victim had been dead more than eight hours. David Ludwig, a young man of this place, testified to having seen the victim going in the direction of the Gettys farm past Ludwig's dam about 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Oscar Hamilton detailed the finding of the body and F. J. Wills also testified as did several others after which the jury on due consideration decided to take a recess until 8 o'clock yesterday evening. In the meantime Constable Richard Evans went out to the Gettys home and brought in a .32-calibre Stephens rifle, which, notwithstanding the positive denial of Mrs. Gettys and her son that they had no such weapon, was found upon the premises that night by Constable Richard Evans and brought into the office of the District Attorney the following morning. At the concluding session of the inquest last night from which all citizens were barred, including THE FREEMAN reporter, Eli Gettys, the owner of the land on which the shooting occurred, was first examined. His son Paul was next called. As far as your reporter can learn, the burden of the testimony given at last night's hearing by Mrs. Gettys was to explain the discrepancy of her sworn testimony of the previous night by saying that she did not know that the weapon in question is a rifle but only a target gun. After having heard the testimony, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased came to his death as the result of a gunshot wound inflicted by some person unknown to the jury. The funeral of the victim of this sad occurrence took place from the home of his bereaved parents in the West ward this (Friday) morning after services at the home by the Rev. F. L. Sigmund, pastor of the Baptist church in this place, interment being made in Bethel cemetery. Besides his parents, Burley Makin is survived by the following brothers and sisters: Alvin and Lawrence; Emma, the wife of D. F. Fahner of Barnesboro; Theodosia, Mabel, Ida and Agnes, who reside at home. The entire community is in hearty sympathy with the afflicted family in their terrible bereavement. Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 14 Aug 1908 Volume 42, Number 21 Funeral of Burley Makin The funeral of Burley Makin took place Saturday, after services at the late home of the deceased, by the Rev. F. T. Sigmund of the Baptist church. The remains were interred in Bethel cemetery, six miles west of Ebensburg.