O'Connor (er) - Timothy - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

There is supreme sorrow in the home of Enos O'Conner, six miles east of town on the Shannondale Rd, and in the parlor of the residence lies the body of the son, Timothy O'Conner, cold and stark in death. He is far past all human hurt or aid and his brother, Enos O'Conner, Jr. at whose hands he died is prostrated with grief and sorrow. Last evening the two young men mentioned together with their brother, Patsy and Jess Riley, who lives with the family, went coon hunting in the creek bottoms with a party of neighbors. About 10 the four boys started home and on the way the dogs treed some animal in a hollow log. The boys gathered about in excited curiosity and gave such aid as they could to dislodge the game. The log was in the underbrush and Enos who held a breech loading gun leaped upon the prostrate forest monarch and excitedly began to kick about to scare out the game. Suddenly the gun he held was discharged with a blinding flash and deafening roar. When the dazed lads recovered themselves they found the dead body of Timothy prostrated on the ground, the whole back of his head being blown off. How it happened not even Enos could tell. He thought perhaps the hammer had caught in a branch and had been pulled back. In the awful darkness of nature and of death the little group stood awe struck. The trembling little animal in the log of so much interest only a minute before was all forgotten even by the whining dogs who felt the presence of a sad and sickening tragedy. Tenderly the dead boy was picked up and carried to the home which he had so shortly before left full of youth and spirit. The parental grief, the awful night of lamentation and of vain regret, all have their places in the tragedy. It is the old, old story so often repeated in different ways. Timothy O'conner was an industrious young man, 22 years of age. The funeral occurs tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock at St. Bernard's Catholic Church, interment at Calvary Cemetery The stricken family and especially that brother who was the unwitting cause of the calamity have the undivided sympathy of all.