In a 1925 incident in Lykens involving what was believed to be an unloaded gun, Mrs. Michael Begani, almost lost her life. While cleaning house, she moved a mattress on a bed used by her son and discovered a gun. In examining the gun to see if it was loaded, she accidently pulled the trigger. The gun fired discharging a “ball” which went through the bed into the floor.

“EMPTY” GUN ALMOST COST MRS. BEGANI’S LIFE
Mrs. Michael Begani. West North Streeet [Lykens], narrowly escaped death Monday when a revolver she was examining was in some manner discharged. She was at work cleaning house and in moving a mattress from a bed occupied by one of her sons, she discovered the revolver under the mattress. Picking it up she looked into the barrel but saw nothing in it; she then turned it in her hand and believes in some manner pulled the trigger discharging it, the ball going through the bed into the floor.
Realizing her narrow escape coupled with the fright, caused Mrs. Begani to fall in a faint. She was revived in a few minutes and explained what had happened.
_____________________________________
From the Lykens Standard, October 23, 1925, via Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.