Wirt - James
Source: Crawfordsville Indiana Weekly Review, Jan 24, 1908 p 2
While he was attempting to remove a loaded cartride from a 32-calibre revolver about 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at his home, 621 South Alabama Street, in Indianapolis, James P. Wirt a former well known resident of Crawfordsville was almost instantly killed by the accidental discharge of the weapon. The bullet penetrated his abdomen, puncturing the abdominal artery and causing almost instant death.
Aside from a scream which he gave almost simultaneously with the discharge of the revolver, Mr. Wirt did not utter a sound, although he made a strong effort so speak to his wife and daughter who rushed to his side and supported him while he was dying.
Wirt was seated before a small table in the kitchen, having planned to clean the revolver. One shell refused to be removed and it was while Mr. Wirt was trying to pry this out that the hammer of the weapon slipped and snapped on the cartridge.
The bullet enter Wirt's abdomen slightly to the left and just below the breast bone. It severed the largest artery in the body. Deputy COroner Knox, who made an examination of the wound, said that death resulted from bleeding and loss of blood.
It was at the request of Mrs. Wirt who was sewing in the dining room that her husband had gone to the kitchen to clean the gun. THe daughter, Miss Myrtle Wirt was in an upstairs room singing when she heard the fatal shot and rushed down to find her father dying in her mother's arms.
Mr. Wirt's body will be brought to this city on the 9 o'clock Ben Hur car Thursday morning. The funeral will be held in Mason Temple in the morning at 10 o'clock. The Knights of Pythias will have charge of the services. Interment will occur at Oak Hill Cemetery. DC Barnhyill, funeral director and Noah W> Myer, were in Indianapolis Tuesday evening to consult with the family regarding the funeral.
Mr. Wirt has scores of friends in Crawfordsville and Montgomery County w ho will be pained to learn of his accidental death. Mr. Wirt has been living in Indianapolis since last September. SInce that time he has been employed in the large department store of L.S. Ayres Monday he began a week's vacation. Mr. Wirt was getting along nicely in his work in Indianapolis and is reported to have been very much pleased with his work there.
Before going to Indianapolis, Mr. Wirt had for sevearl years resided in Crawfordsville. He came to this city a dozen years or more ago from Alamo where he was born and reared. Upon removal to Crawfordsville Mr. Wirt entered the grocery business. Later he was in the insurance business and then for some time he clerked in Louis Bischof's Big Store.
Mr. Wirt was a man of kindly disposition, who made many friends. He was a member of the Masons, K or P, Tribe of Ben Hur and TPA. He also held membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Crawfordsville. He is survived by a wife and 3 children. Wiley W. WIrt the eldest, is a telegraph operator at Roan, Ind; Fred G. Wirt is a street car conductor on the Ben Hurt line, while the daughter, Miss Myrtle lives at home. Mr. Wirt also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Rose Titus of Alamo and Mrs. ELizabeth Parsons of Darlington - kbz