June 24, 1904 Newspaper item: Thorndale Thorn

Accident - Will Miertschin had a serious accident Thursday morning when he and his brother Ernst Miertschin went to butcher. They used a Winchester repeating rifle to shoot the cattle and while Will was working the magazine lever a shell exploded and several pieces struck him in the face and eyes. One piece was buried in the pupil of the left eye and it is this eye that will have to be taken out. He was taken to Austin Thursday evening for treatment under eye specialists. Johnnie Urban accompanied him.