From 1910: Severely Wounded by Explosion of Gun

This article appeared exactly 100 years ago today, published in the Hartford Courant on May 16, 1910.

-------------------

E.L. Maine of Rockfall Fired Old Weapon at Crows

As the result of an explosion of an old shot-gun, with which he was trying to shoot crows that were killing his chickens, Edson L. Maine of Rockfall is at the Middlesex Hospital in serious condition. He had been bothered for some time by the crows, and this morning, when he saw them hovering around his chicken house, he grabbed the shot-gun and blazed away. The gun was an old muzzle loader that had not been used for some time and exploded, tearing the barrels to pieces. The greater part of the charge hit Maine in the forehead. He was alone at the time and swooned. Later he regained consciousness and made his way to the house, where aid was secured, and he was taken to the hospital. At that institution an immediate operation was found necessary. The chances for his recovery are slight.

------------

This story of crows eating chickens seems implausible to me, our chickens have never been harassed, let alone killed by crows. Perhaps crows were more robust, or chickens less so, in 1910. Or perhaps there is another story behind the shotgun explosion which has been lost to history. Unfortunately, the index for the historical newspapers is incomplete, and without reading through every paper it is impossible to determine the fate of Maine.