Young Man In Boat on Crystal Lake Struck By Stray Rifle Bullet

Urbana Courier-Herald April 30, 1907

While riding in a boat on Crystal Lake Sunday afternoon a young man named Ray was struck on the head by a rifle bullet and rendered unconscious for some time.

The shot was fired by some one in the timber from a target rifle and must have come quite a distance as it had so lost its speed that the young man's skull was not penetrated, otherwise he might have been killed.

Rifle shooting in such close proximity to town and especially at such close range to a pleasure resort, such as Crystal Lake park is dangerous and those desiring to shoot target rifles should go further away from the city or take better care in regard to the direction in which they are shooting. The state of Michigan has a law holding that it is just as much a crime to shoot a man in this manner as in any other and for that reason few hunters in Michigan are ever hit by stray bullets. This law was made as several hunters had avenged themselves upon others in this manner and made It appear that the shooting was accidental. Of course, this Urbana affair was purely an accident, but it should serve as warning to act with more care in the future.