This Day in History: 1912-10-19
A tragedy involving a little girl and a gun she did not know was loaded resulted in the death of a Mahwah man. Leon Hammer, a 22 year old man who worked for Albert Winter came home from work to find 11 year old Jennie Winter visiting in the Harris boarding house where Hammer lived and where Mrs. Harris, an invalid, is often helped by Jennie. As Hammer was washing up from work, he joked with Jennie as he often did. The subject of the gun came up and Hammer taunted her to shoot him. She picked it up, pointed it at him and it fired. He was killed instantly by a bullet in the chest. Jeannie ran home and told her mother what had happened. Although medical help was sought, Hammer was beyond help. He was said to be engaged to a Suffern girl. (Bristow)