OBIT: Retta McDONALD, 1880, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm __________________________________________ FATAL CASUALTY A Little Girl Killed by the Accidental Discharge of a Navy Revolver. Retta, aged about 10 years, a daughter of William McDonald, carpenter, of Huntingdon, was almost instantly killed by the accidental discharge of a navy revolver, yesterday afternoon about half-past 1 o'clock. Our informant learned that the parents of the child were absent from the house, and that the little girl was preparing to go to school. On a shelf under the stairway leading to the upper rooms of the house, which can be reached from the steps leading to the basement kitchen, lay the revolver. The story of a younger brother is that his sister was looking for a slate pencil; that she took a broom - not being able to reach the shelf - and was sweeping over it, thinking to find a pencil thereon, when the revolver was knocked down. It was charge with bird-shot and falling on the butt went off, the entire discharge entering her breast. The little girl ran into the kitchen, fell to the floor and expired almost instantly, having died in agony in the arms of a neighbor lady, who hearing the report of the weapon ran in. The sad event cast quite a gloom over the community. Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa, Thursday, November 18, 1880