NEWSPAPERS: Mabel Alice Hodgson, accidental shooting of, Medford, Jackson County, Oregon ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 24 Dec 2002 ********************************************************************************* Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Wednesday, 13 Dec 1936, p. 1 Accident Shot Kills Local Woman Mrs. Hodgson of 1104 East 11th Tragedy Victim Bullet From .22 Rifle Enters Body Under Left Arm - Son, Robert, Cleaning Gun When Accident Occurs Mrs. Thomas Hodgson of 1104 East 11th street was fatally wounded by a bullet fired accidentally by her son Robert in their home about 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. Mrs. Hodgson never regained consciousness and died soon after her arrival in Sacred Heart hospital. The bullet entered her body under the left shoulder blade. An internal hemorrhage undoubtedly resulted from the shot, said Dr. William P. Holt, who was summoned. Mrs. Hodgson was in the kitchen of her home with her son when the accident occurred. Robert was cleaning a .22 calibre rifle and had it apart. A shell was in the breach and it fired as he was trying to reassemble the rifle, it was stated. A call was immediately sent for Dr. Holt and the Perl ambulance. Mrs. Hodgson was rushed to the hospital and every effort was made to save her life. She was about 60 years old and her age was against her recovery. Mr. Hodgson, the husband, was also at home at the time. Blind for about 20 years, he was grief-stricken. The son rode in the ambulance to the hospital. He was hysterical and was detained for treatment. He is about 25 years old. HODGSON, MABEL ALICE, Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Thursday, 17 Dec 1936, p. 1: Funeral services will be held for Mabel A. Hodgson in the Conger chapel at 2:30 Saturday afternoon. The Rev. C. A. Phillips will officiate. Interment will take place in the Medford I.O.O.F. cemetery. Mrs. Hodgson died yesterday afternoon in a local hospital shortly after she had been accidentally shot in her home at 1104 East 11th street. She was 57 years old. Mrs. Hodgson was born in Trinity county, California. With er husband, Thomas Hodgson, she came to Medford 32 years ago and had resided here ever since. She is survived by her husband and six sons: Thomas Hodgson, Jr., of Central Point, W. H., J. W., Robert Louis and Arthur Hodgson, all of Medford. She is survived also by three brothers who reside in California, and a sister in Portland, and three grandchildren. Coroner Frank Perl said today there would be no inquest, the shooting being obviously accidental. An autopsy was to be performed by Dr. C. Drummond, county health officer. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Sunday, 20 Dec 1936, p. 3 Hodgson Cleared of All Blame in Rifle Accident Funeral services were held at the Conger chapel yesterday afternoon for Mabel A. Hodgson, who was fatally wounded in her home at 1104 East Eleventh street Wednesday afternoon when a rifle accidentally went off. The Rev. C. A. Phillips of Central Point conducted the last rites. Interment took place in the Medford I.O.O.F. cemetery. Mrs. Hodgson, wife of Thomas Hodgson, was shot when a .22 calibre rifle her son, Robert, was cleaning went off. He was working on the rifle in the living room and his mother was standing near the stove in the kitchen. It was discovered yesterday that the bullet first hit the floor, indicating that Robert was using care in pointing the rifle downward. The bullet glanced off the floor and struck Mrs. Hodgson. The son has since been depressed, though he was cleared of all blame by the police and the county coroner, who declared the shooting was entirely accidental.