Crosby Courier, Thursday Sept 21, 1939
Hunting Accident Takes Life of Crosby Beach Man

Elmer Hanson, 55, Fatally Wounded by Bullet from Gun of Isidore Bellefuille, a Companion, While Hunting Deer Last Friday Night Southeast of Deerwood; Coroner's Jury Finds Shooting Accidental
A coronor's jury called last Saturday to investigate the nature of the hunting accident resulting in the death of Elmer Hanson, Crosby Beach, last Friday night, acquitted Isidore Bellefuille, Crosby, who accidentallly shot Hanson while hunting deer at night, of any criminal negligence. The verdict reached by the jury at the inquest termed Hanson's death the result from an accident and absolved Bellefuille of all blame.
The accident which resulted in Hanson's death occurred last Friday night about 9:00 o'clock near the Oreland mine southeast of Deerwood. Hanson, a son Albert and Bellefuille were hunting deer with lights.
According to the story of the tragedy as told by Albert Hanson, the third member of the hunting party, the three of them had spread out abreast of one another, with Mr. Hanson in the middle and were driving through the brush when Bellefuiles light shined a deer ahead of him. Bellefuille shot once and the deer started to run directly across in front of the party. He shot three more times as the deer kept running, thinking his companions were still on a direct line with him.
Hanson, however, had moved ahead faster than the others and was directly in the path of the fuorth shot fired by Bellefuille at the fleeing deer. The brush and trees, Hanson said, evidently obscured Bellefuille's view of the elder Hanson's light.
Hearing Mr. Hanson's moan after he had been hit both the son and Bellefuille rushed to his side but found the wound of a fathal nature. He lived just long enough to utter the request that Bellefuille should not be held for the mishap.
Leaving a flashlight hanging in a tree to mark the spot, Bellefuille and Hanson hurried into town to notify authorities of the accident and secure help to remove the body. Returning to the place where the mishap had ocurred the party had considerable difficulty locating the body as the light had burned out in the meantime.

Obituary
Funeral services for Elmer Hans Hanson were held yesterday afternoon at 2:00 from the Crosby Armory with the Rev. Arthur L. Gausmann officiating. Burial was in Lakewood cemetery. The Odd Fellows, of which lodge he was a member, attended the funeral in a body.
Pallbearers werer Harold Hamilton, Lester Hamilton, Hennign Anderson, Edward Seavey, Herman Poppy, and Martin Lindberg.
Mr. Hanson was born near Stockholm, Sweden on February 13, 1884. When 3 years old he came to the United States with his parents who settled first near Park Rapids, Minnesota, and later moved on a homestead about twelve miles north of Staples where he grew to manhood.
On June 3, 1908, he was married to Anna Louise Semler at Staples. They resided in that community until 1920 when they came to Crow Wing County and moved onto a farm south of Deerwood. Three years later they moved to the place where the family now resides on Crosby Beach.
During the years Mr. Hanson has resided in this community he has been employed as a carpenter and construction foreman. His wide circle of friends and acquaintances by whom he was held in esteem, will be shocked and grieved over the news of his untimely death and will join in extending condolences to his bereaved family.
Surviving, besides his widow are four daughters, (Elaine) Mrs. Silvio Giovanetto, Crosby; Edity and Joy, Tampa, Florida; and Ruth, at home; and seven sons: Fred, Deerwood' Robert, Conrad, Elmer, David, and William, at home. Also surviving are six sisters and four brothers who are: Carl, Los Angeles, Calif.; Fred, Nokay Lake; Conrad, in Canada; Oscar, Crosby Beach; Mrs. Marvin Perkins, Nimrod, Minn.; Mrs. Al. McKenzie, Los Angeles; Mrs. John Swanstrom, Deerwood; Mrs. John Foss, Beacon Hill, Sask., Canada; Mrs. P. N. Irwin, Tacoma, Wash.; and Mrs. Elmer Jenkins, Staples.
Mr. Hanson is the first in this large family to pass away.
Those from out of town present at the funeral were Mr. adn Mrs. Marvin Perkins, Mrs. Pall Lenner of Sebeka; Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Jenkins and Leroy Jenkins; Mr. and Mrs. Forbes of Motley; Mrs. D. A. Bartholomew of Backus; Elmer Boardwell (sic - should be Bordwell), Duluth; Annie matheson, Louis Hethington, Julian Gallipso, Mr. and Mrs. John Gallipso; Mrs. Harry Sams and Lloyd Sams of Staples; Mr and Mrs. Peter Jewel Jr., Pine River; Mrs. Grace Gilpin, Osage; also numerous friends and relatives from Brainerd, Nokay Lake, Deerwood and Aitkin.