

  <p>Thompson, George W.</p>
  <p>Passed: 1879-12-27</p>
  <p>Age: 45</p>


  <p>Source: Ravenswood News</p>

  <p>Death Notice: 1879-12-29</p>

  <p>Obituary Date: </p>
  <p>Information: A SAD CHRISTMAS, GEORGE THOMPSON, A WELL KNOWN CITIZEN, KILLED BY JOHN A. WINE, WITH A PAPER WAD FIRED FROM AN OLD ARMY MUSKET. - Christmas opened in Ravenswood with a serious shooting scrape in the morning, between the hours of 7 and 8 o&#39;clock.  The particulars and results of which are......as follows:  Mr. George W. Thompson, a hard working mechanic of this place had gotten up early in the morning and started.....in town in his usual glee and merriment (for no one ever saw him otherwise) to see what was going on, and, hearing the steamer St. Lawrence whistle, concluded to take a walk down to the river, and when arriving there a couple of boys on the bank shooting off their guns, a welcome to Christmas.  After the St. Lawrence had rounded out, the crowd composed of the boys with their firearms, and Thompson and others, wended their way up town, and when in front of Wine & Davis meat shop, John A. Wine, came out and by permission of one of the boys took the old musket, loaded it and fired it in the air, its contents coming down in the street near by.  Thompson, in the meantime,........stepped into the bakery of Roberts & Eppert to warm, and when he came out, Wine had the second and fatal wad in the gun.  We noticed Wine with the gun in his hand ramming down the wad, when he exclaims:  ""Jim, I&#39;ve got at least eight inches in this gun,"" and we also noticed the boy in front of him shaking his head and exclaiming, ""I won&#39;t shoot it.""  Wine seemed to be in usual good humor and laughing, when we stepped into the post office.  He then walked up the street a few paces and when within perhaps five to six feet of Thompson he.......the contents (which was several inches of brown wrapping paper wadded).......It taking effect immediately below the ribs on his right side, making a cavity of about two inches across.  After being shot he staggered some; when the crowd around him jeered, he exclaimed:  &#39;OH, BOYS, I&#39;M NOT FOOLING&#39;.  At this juncture, Dr. Hoyt happened along and had him carried into the bakery, where he dressed the wound as best he could under the circumstances, then had him carried to his residence on Sand Street.  Mr. Wine claims, we believe, that if Thompson had not turned around the shot would not have hit him.  Thompson, at the time the shot was fired, was standing between two other gentlemen, so that Wine had to shoot in a diagonal manner, from the place he was standing, the shot just grazing the coattail of one of the others.  The wadding went through his coat and a memorandum book about one-half inch thick and.....his vest.</p>


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