Shanklin - John W.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review, July 22, 1876
John W. Shanklin, living about four miles west of this city,
met with an accident which came very near costing him his life
last Thursday morning. he was expecting to thresh his grain that
day and took his rifle with the intention of shooting a sheep to
provide his table with meat. He thought there was no load in the
gun, but to satisfy himself of it concluded to blow in the
muzzle. Resting the stock on the ground he placed his mouth over
the muzzle and pushed back the hammer with his foot. His foot
slipped off, the hammer exploded the cap and discharged the load.
The ball struck his two front teeth, knocked them out and the
next one to the right and passed into the cavity under the orbit
of his right eye where it lodged close to the right nostril.
About 7 o'clock Henry Utterback dashed around the corner of Main
and Washington streets where he met Dr. May.
He called to the
doctor to get another physician and go to John Shanklin's; that
the case was one of "life and death"and demanded immediate
attention. Then reversing his orders he besought the doctor to
drive on with all possible speed while he hunted up a surgeon. At
that he started in search of Dr. Ensminger.
Dr. May met James
McIntire near the city. He was also in search of a physician and
was so deeply impressed with the need of haste that he exchanged
his horse for the Doctor's buggy. Mounted on Mc's horse Dr. May
rode on to break neck speed. He found Shanklin bleeding quite
profusely; and in need of immediate attention. Dr. E. soon
arrived. The wound was ? lest they not succeed in removing the
ball. The wound was dressed properly and Shanlin is in a fair way
for recovery. He made a very narrow escape. The teeth, his
physicians say, broke the force of the ball; otherwise it would
have passed up into the brain and very probably resulted in
instant death.