HUNT

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, November 23, 2012 at 08:34:50 :

The Marin Journal
Thursday, November 22, 1900
page 5

John A. Hunt Was Accidently Shot Friday
Life Ended by Discharge of a Shotgun on Burdell Ranch

JOHN A. HUNT was instantly killed on the Burdell Ranch about 6:30 o'clock Friday morning by the accidental discharge of his shotgun. No one was near when the fatality happened but from the position of the gun and body, it is quite easy to draw an inference of the unfortunate occurrence. Hunt evidently took his gun with him when he went to the poultry yards. Part of the poultry yard boundaries consists of a pile of wood. He probably laid the gun on the wood, climbed over the pile and then undertook to draw the gun to him muzzle foremost. One of the triggers caught in some manner and one barrel was discharged. The charge was No. 4 shot. It struck Hunt near the left temple and literally tore off the top and back of his head. Death was instantaneous.

The body was found by J.B. Burdell who happened to visit the ranch that morning. He came on the body unawares.

Mr. Burdell speaks very highly of his dead employee. Hunt came to California from New York a few months ago. He brought high recommendations as a poultry man and was put in charge of the poultry yard and it was the intention of Mr. Burdell to largely increase the poultry interests on the ranch and to place Mr. Hunt in sole charge. Hunt was a man who was once wealthy but had lost considerable money in the Cleveland panic. Hunt was in Petaluma Wednesday and called on Mr. Burdell. He was a man of considerable education. He has a wife who was expected to start for California from New York Wednesday of this week, November 21. He has no family. He had a friend in San Francisco but when Mr. Burdell attempted to reach this party it was learned the friend had gone to South America. As a last resort the wife in the east was notified.

Coroner Eden went to Burdell's Friday and held an inquest. The jury returned a verdict of accidental shooting. On Saturday he received a telegram from Mrs. Hunt requesting that the body be embalmed and shipped to her home at Birmingham, New York. It was shipped by Mr. Eden on Tuesday.