The Dispatch, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1906, pg. 1

YOUNG MAN SHOOTS HIMSELF

Allison Nance the Victim of "Unloaded" Pistol With Which He Kills Himself Accidentally

Last Thursday afternoon Allison Nance, of Levi, this county, accidentally shot himself in the breast with an old revolver. Monday morning he died as a result of the wound. Yesterday afternoon his body was laid to rest in Jerusalem churchyard.

Young Nance was the son of R. I. Nance, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Lovi; and he was just eighteen years of age. Careless handling of an old pistol which he did not know was loaded is the explanation of his sad and untimely death. In the forenoon last Thursday he and a companion had been using the pistol about the yard at his home, shooting at targets, etc. At dinner the gun was put in young Allison's room and after dinner he went to his room again and was handling the firearm, snapping it, when it was discharged. The ball passed almost through his body. The wound was made just beneath the heart, the ball penetrating the lung and lodging just under the skin in the back. Although so seriously wounded he went down at once and entered the kitchen, where his father was. He handed his father the pistol, saying that he had shot himself, and asking his father to throw it in the fire before someone else was shot with it. Medical attention was secured as soon as possible. The wounded youth lived until two o'clock Monday morning. His death is a severe blow to his family and they have the sympathy of their community.

The boy, as stated, thought the gun unloaded. He knew it was unloaded when he put it away, but his companion had put one or more cartridges in the chamber without Nance's knowledge.