KEENAN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 at 12:14:19 :

Sausalito News
Friday, February 22, 1929
Page 1

Wealthy Ranchman Killed by Rifle’s Accidental Discharge

Accidental discharge of a .44 calibre rifle brought death to John Joseph Keenan, 62, ranchman and large property owner of the Tamalpais Valley, Wednesday evening.

Keenan, for more than 18 years a respected resident of the valley, kept the rifle to shoot hawks that killed his chickens. Wednesday, just before dark, one of the predatory birds swooped down on the ranch. Keenan grabbed his rifle and started from the house. He stumbled, the trigger of the rifle struck a banister and the weapon discharged, the heavy slug entering the ranchman’s head.

Dr. George Landrock of Mill Valley was summoned, but Keenan was beyond medical aid and died half an hour after the accident. Constable Manuel Menotti, who conducted an investigation of the affair, says that no doubt the fatality was accidental. Coroner Ray Keaton will conduct an inquest, however. The body is at the undertaking parlors of Keaton and Dusel in San Rafael.

Keenan is survived by a widow, Mrs. Anna Keenan, and by a son, James Keenan, 27. He was well known in Sausalito where he transacted all business connected with his property holdings in the valley. Before coming to Marin county he was a salesman for fourteen years for D. J. Dolan, 1650 Mission street, San Francisco. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Tamalpais Valley.