An Accidental Shooting

In early February 1924 there had been a slew of stolen cars recovered in the Wabaunsee County area.  On February 12, David and his friend Fred Guile loaded up in one of those cars and headed to Kansas City to return it to the authorities there.  

After returning the vehicle, David and Fred made their way down to Gateway Loan Office on Main Street where David desired to trade his pistol for a larger weapon.  He handed his weapon to the pawn broker, Louis Cumonow who examined the weapon and when he released the spring, a bullet tore through David’s neck; paralyzing him from the waist down.

News of David’s shooting was immediate as Fred called the Sheriff to advise him of what happened.  He and David’s wife Nellie got on the next train to Kansas City as the expectation was that David would likely not make it or at best never walk again.   The strength to carry on was what kept David going and after a month and a half in the hospitals recovering he returned home to his family and friends. 

His days in law enforcement were behind him, but he learned to walk again after another year of rehabilitation, the only remnant of the incident was a permanent limp and the need of a cane.