The True Story Concerning the Shooting of Angus Smith of Harrisville.
We extract the following from the local columns of the Otsego County Herald of last week:
"A Mr. Leonard, of Detroit, with two men were engaged in estimating pine land for the Hon. Wm. Dodge, of New York. They had pitched their tent about 10 1/2 miles east of Otsego Lake and commenced their work. The party consisted of W. B Leonard, of Detroit, Angus Smith, of Harrisville, and Wm. Dessereau, of Cheboygan. Dessereau acted as cook for the party and his business was to cut the wood and fix the fires and keep the camp in order, and prepare the meals for the rest of the party. It was his special duty to keep fires at night. Leonard and Smith had been doing a hard day's work and returned to camp late at night, ate their supper and retired as usual. Leonard on the right, Smith on the left, and Dessereau in the middle. Smith awoke during the night and notwithstanding it was Dessereau's business to keep the fire, Smith thought he would not disturb them, but get up and fix the fire himself. He was on his hands and knees and with a piece of bark was scraping the cinders together. The evening previous the cook had buried a pail of pork and beans in the warm cinders to bake. Leonard hearing the scratching sound supposing it to be a wild animal, having met with a similar experience last June, immediately seized his revolver and fired in the direction of the sound. Immediately following the discharge was heard the cry Oh! Oh! I'm shot! Leonard said 'for God's sake Angus is it you?' Smith said 'yes, how could you make such a mistake?' Leonard said 'I thought it was a bear; what were you doing?' He said 'I was trying to fix the fire.' Leonard then said, 'Smith, do you blame me?' Smith said 'no, Leonard, but how could you make such a mistake?' This was about 3 o'clock a.m. Dessereau was at once dispatched to Louk's camp, four miles distant, for a team, and when he returned, the wounded man was taken to Brink's Hotel, at Otsego Lake. At this time he was able to walk to the wagon and get into it without assistance. On arriving at Otsego Lake Drs. Warner, Robinson and Gilbert were summoned. The two former remained with the wounded man for six hours. Sunday afternoon Dr. Gilbert notified his friends that he thought he could not live and after consultation a special train was ordered and Drs. Vaugn and Curry, of Bay City, were brought up to Otsego Lake. They were too late to render any assistance, as the man had been dead some time when they arrived. They gave their opinion that the best medical skill in the world could not have saved his life.
Mr. Smith remained conscious up to within three hours of his death, and his thoughts were with his brothers and mother; and said to a lady with whom he had lived, 'Tell my mother I loved her.' He exonerated Leonard from all blame in the matter, and gave special directions about the disposal of his property. Mr. Smith has two brothers, one residing in Walton, Ont., and one in East Saginaw. Mr. Leonard has the sympathy of the entire community, and no blame is attached to him by any one cognizant of the facts. He know Dessereau kept the fires in order and at that time D. was by his side and thought of course the noise was made by some animal; and Leonard acted on that supposition with fatal result. The ball struck Smith just below and little to the right of the spinal column, passed through the pelvis and struck against the inner front of the hip, glanced thence through the neck of the bladder and through the liver towards the chest, causing peritonitus. Everything was done that could be to alleviate his suffering and make him comfortable, but no avail. It is simply a sad and unfortunate affair. On account of decomposition taking place so rapidly, Mr. Leonard, on advice of the physicians, had his remains interred in the Otsego Lake cemetery on Monday afternoon. Smith was well known in Otsego Lake by many persons, who all testify to his good moral character, genial disposition and sober and industrious habits. 'Verily, in the midst of life we are in death."