Tom Blackman

 
The Courant American
Cartersville, Georgia
September 13, 1900, page 8
 
Transcribed by:  
 

Accidentally Killed.
A Woman Fatally Shoots Tom Blackman Through The Head.

At a house of low repute near the city Tom Blackman, seventeen years of age, met death instantly through the accidental firing of a pistol last Wednesday afternoon.

It was about four o’clock and young Blackman, and a cousin near his age named Chapman, were at the house, claiming they were there to engage board, as they had arranged to work at the brick yard.

Chapman propsed to go when Blackman said he wished to show a trick or two first, and said to Rose Yarbrough, one of two women present: “I’ll bet five dollars you can’t sho me a knife, a nickel or a pistol.”  The woman said “I’ll bet I can,” and went to a trunk and opened it and got out a pistol.  She “broke” the weapon for the cartridges to fall in her lap, and thought they all did.  Blackman had pulled his hat close down over his eyes to carry his point, as it was then impossible for her to “Show” him any object.

Chapman said to the woman, “shoot your big toe,” at which she held the weapon pointed to her foot and snapped.  She then brought it to a level and snapped it again.  The third time she snapped the pistol and it went off and as she was sitting in a low rocker below him, the weapon happened to be pointed at the young man’s head.  The ball penetrated the skull and it was found afterwards made a ghastly hole from which the brains soon oozed out.  The young man never moved a muscle or uttered a word, the woman never realized he was shot until little drops of blood trickled from a hole down on his shoulders.

The woman screamed and fell to the floor in a swoon and the frightened cousin went for Dr. Baker.  The doctor said death was instant.

Blackman was the son of Jim Blackman, living on Andy Davis’ place, near Taylorsville.  The remains were carried away on the East and West Thursday.

Esquire George S. Cobb held an inquest over the remains soon after the accident.  The conclusion of the jury was that the shooting was accidental.

 

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