A self-inflicted gunshot wound into the right temple of an 18-year-old young man who was sitting in the back seat of his car with his 18-year-old lady friend. A coroner’s inquest couldn’t decide whether it was suicide or an accident but did call it “self-inflicted.”
While the news article referred to the young lady as “Miss,” her testimony revealed that there was a “baby” involved, perhaps unborn. And at the inquest, the young man’s mother made a statement which was characterized as follows in the article: “He never complained to his mother of having any trouble, never spoke to his mother of any girls and the mother stated that she did not know he was calling on any girls.” In 1926, the word “trouble” usually meant “pregnant.”
Beyond the one article that appeared in the Lykens Standard, the text of which is given below, only one other article has been found. That article appeared in the Mt. Carmel Daily News, September 15, 1926. It gives a different perspective on the relationship between the two and suggests that they were “engaged.” The full text of that short article follows the article from the Lykens paper.
Finally, the Lykens Standard article indicates that the death occurred in Millersburg. Actually, it occurred in Wiconisco, as confirmed by the death certificate:
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From the Lykens Standard, September 17, 1926:
Arthur Herbert Reiner, aged 18, son of Mrs. Lillie Fite-Reiner, of Clarks Valley, three miles from Tower City, died at Millersburg Saturday evening of last week while being rushed to Harrisburg Hospital in an effort to save his life after he suffered a gun shot wound of the head which entered the brain.
Whether the young man committed suicide while in the rear seat of his car with his sweetheart or accidentally shot himself while loading a revolver remains unsolved, altho testimony indicates the act was intentional.
Young Reiner, who met Miss Cora Esterline of Wiconisco, Sunday evening, August first, has since that time been calling at her home two and three times a week. He was of a jovial disposition at all times, but the night of the deed, seemed worried and in a deep study.
Brother Bought Cartridges
According to the testimony of his brother, Burton Reiner, who accompanied him to Tower City from his home, Arthur showed no signs of worry. However, on reaching Tower City, the victim sent his brother into the store of Edward Kanter where the brother purchased the .32 cal. short cartridges. Reiner told his brother he wanted to go into the woods the next day and wanted the shells for his revolver, which he always carried with him when going into the woods. The brother testified he did not see or know that Arthur had his revolver with him that evening.
When leaving home on Saturday evening, Mrs. Reiner, mother of the dead man, asked him to bring some groceries from town. He purchased these when in Tower City and had them on the rear seat of his car. Upon leaving his brother Burton Reiner in Tower City, he told Burton to be at the place he left him in an hour and a half as he was going down the road and would be back in that time and they would leave for home.
Called on Sweetheart
Arthur went to the home of William Esterline in Wiconisco where he called on Miss Cora, a daughter of Mrs. Esterline. After being at the home a few minutes the young lady requested him to run the car to a store where she wanted to do some shopping. He did, but on the way was worried and seldom answered her when she spoke to him. Miss Enterline in her testimony stated she asked Arthur what was wrong. His only answer was “I had an awful dream.” Asked what it was by his friend he said “I don’t know.”
After purchasing the goods wanted Miss Esterline went to the car again and they drove thru Wiconisco to Lykens and returned to her home. After sitting in the car but a few minutes Miss Esterline said she was going to sit in the rear seat of the two-door Ford sedan which he was driving. He warned her to be careful not to sit on the store goods which he had purchased for his mother, She moved these to the front seat after which Arthur also stepped to the rear seat aside of her.
Shot Thru Brain
After sitting in the rear seat but a few minutes, according to the testimony of Miss Esterline, the young man pulled cartridges from his pocket and showed them to her. She remarked: “You’re monkeying with bullets again” and he replied “yes.” She testified that almost every time the young man called he had bullets in his pocket. He reached to the dash board turned on the light and Miss Esterline noticed he had a revolver in his hand. She said she was not afraid because she thought he was loading it to carry on the car for protection on his way home. In loading the gun Arthur made the remark, “These are hard as hell to put in.” After loading the piece he sat in the rear seat again and seemed in deep study and would not reply when spoken to. Suddenly he exclaimed: “Look, look, look, Bess!” and no sooner had said this than the gun fired. Miss Esterline said he never spoke of suicide in any way or never expressed that he wished he were dead. He was always cheerful, she said.
Miss Esterline said but one shot was fired. She also stated he nor she did not quarrel the night of the shooting, “there were no words of any kind.”
Girl With Him When Shot
Wilson Lupold of Wiconisco, who was about sixty feet away from the scene of the shooting heard the shot and learned that “Bess’ fellow shot himself.” He went to the car and Miss Esterline was hysterical. Someone ordered him to get a doctor. He got his car and secured the services of Dr. G. H. Gillis, of Wiconisco. Lupold stated that when he reached the car Arthur was sitting on the left side of the rear seat of the car with his head hanging low, his right hand aside of his body, and the left clinching hold of the front seat. Miss Esterline was in the rear seat aside of the young man when Lupold reached the car.
Blood and Brains on Clothing
James Shomper of Wiconisco, who was at the home of Thomas Hosgood, also heard the shot an the terrible screams of the girl. He ran to the car and as he approached noticed the young lady running to the porch of her home, hysterical and screaming “My God, What Happened?” Shomper stated the young man was in the rear seat and that “blood and brains were on his lap.” The dash light was burning when Shomper arrived and the revolver was laying loose in Reiner’s hand at his right side. His left hand had hold of the rear of the front seat. Shomper stated all the windows in the car were closed.
“Death Caused By Bullet”
Dr. G. H. Gillis, of Wiconisco, arrrived at the scene of the shooting shortly after it occurred and ordered the young man taken into the house. He stated examiniation of the bullet wound showed it was very small. “Brain tissue was on Reiner’s coat and trousers.” After dressing the wound the physician ordered the young man taken to the hospital. The bullet wound was just above the right temple and there was no exit of the shot. The Physician stated that altho the shot was fired at close range, yet he positively could not state whether there were powder burns or not because of the blood and tissue which was forcing its way from the wound. Dr. Gillis gave as his testimony that “death in my judgment was caused by an injury, of a bullet from a gun shot wound.”
Were Home But Three Minutes
William Esterline, father of the girl with Reiner when the shooting took occurred, stated he, Mrs. James Shomper and his wife were in the kitchen of his home when the shot report reached him. He ran to the yard and his daughter called to him, “Pop, Pop, come out and see what happened.” He rushed to the car which was filled with smoke. His daughter had left the car and ran to him. When he reached the car the right side door was open. He found Reiner crouched in the rear seat with the revolver at his right fingers ends. Mr. Esterline stated he heard the car stopping when the couple returned from the store and that had not been in front of the home more than three minutes when the shot was fired.
Showed No Worry At Home
Mrs. Lillie Reiner, mother of the dead man, in her testimony stated her son left home in his usual jovial manner Saturday evening, showing no signs of worry whatever. She told the victim and his brother they were to be home by 10:00 P. M. and they were to be home by 10 P. M. and they said they would. She asked them to bring home some goods from the store in Tower City and they said they would get it and return with it at once if she wanted. The mother told them to bring it when they came back after spending the evening in Tower City.
Arthur, according to the testimony of the mother, returned from work about 4 P. M. and was cheerful. He ate his supper and dressed to go out. She did not know he had his revolver with him when he and his brother left the house. He never complained to his mother of having any trouble, never spoke to his mother of any girls and the mother stated that she did not know he was calling on any girls.
Mrs. Reiner, who saw the revolver often in the home, could not identify it when it was produced at the hearing because she said she “was always too much afraid of it to examine it closely.”
Miss Esterline Gives Story
Miss Esterline, who was the last witness heard, stated by Mr. Reiner called at her home at 8:05 P. M. He did not come into her home but signaled with the horn and she went to his car and got into the front seat aside of him. She spoke to him and he did not pay any attention, answering very curt. After she was in the car about five minutes her father asked her to go to the store and details given in the forepart of this article were corroborated by Miss Esterline with exception that Reiner, after leaving the store wanted to “go for a ride down the country.” Miss Esterline said she was unable to go “on account of the baby, but we can go to Lykens to the square and come up by the State Highway,” which they did.
Inquest Held Monday
An inquest in the death was held at the undertaking parlor of Reiff and Helt Monday evening at eight o’clock by Dr. J. H. Kreider, coroner of Dauphin County, assisted by deputy coroner James D. Helt of this place, and Assistant District Attorney E. Leroy Keen.
The Coroner’s jury composed of Earl Lehr, foreman; John Renshaw; Arthur L. Helt; Miss Mary Golden; Ernest Sattler; and William Dressel listened to the testimony and gave a verdict, “Death was caused by a gun shot wound, right temple, self-inflicted.”
Victim Burned Wednesday
Arthur Herbert Reiner, aged 18 years, son of Mrs. Lillie Fite-Reiner, of Clarks Valley, died at Millersburg, Saturday evening from a gun shot would while being rushed to the Harrisburg Hospital in the Lykens Colliery ambulance.
He is survived by his mother, one brother Burton Reiner of Clarks Valley; three step-brothers: Harry Wolf of Tower City; and William Wolf and Robert Wolf, both of Clarks Valley.
His father preceded him in death the 28th of March, 1926.
Fraternally he was a member of the United Mine Workers of America and was employed at the Bone Swamp coal workings between Keffers and Donaldson, where a coal breaker is being erected.
He was a member of the United Brethren Church of Tower City.
The body was taken to his mother’s home Saturday night and the funeral was held Wednesday afternoon with services at the home by the Rev. Mr. Keiper of the United Brethren Church, Tower City, after which burial was made in the Greenwood Cemetery in Clarks Valley.
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From the Mt. Carmel Daily News, September 15, 1926:
HERBERT REINER TOOK OWN LIFE
As a result of a coroner’s inquest into the death of Arthur Herbert Reiner, of Clark’s Valley, near Tower City, who shot himself in Wiconisco on Saturday night, the jury brought a verdict that Reiner “met his death by a self-inflicted gun-shot wound in the right temple.” The inquest was held at Lykens.
The boy, who was only slightly over eighteen, motored to Wiconisco to take Miss Mildred Esterline, to whom he was reported engaged, for an automobile ride. Drawing up before the house, he called to the girl’s father and then pulled out the revolver. An instant later an explosion was heard and the boy fell forward in the seat of his car. Several bystanders were on their way to a hospital with the wounded by when he died.
He was the son of Mrs. Senari Reiner and was a member of the United Brethren Church. He is survived by his mother, three brothers and one sister, Mrs. Roman Bender, of Clarks Valley.
Funeral services were held today from his mother’s home and interment was made in Greenwood cemetery.
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Pennsylvania Death Certificate from Ancestry.com.
News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.