For all you (us) firearms collectors and enthusiasts .... here is one you have to read carefully. Post comments freely ...
If attorneys of past were sharp enough to file lawsuits there may have been no Smith & Wesson as we know it now.
S&W may have become bankrupt after a lawsuit by the family of a Doctor that accidentally shot himself with a "new" Smith & Wesson .38 Safety hammerless, while in a retail establishment examining it for possible purchase. The revolver that it is impossible to fire accidentally.
I first found this story many years back when searching the family lineage of my life long buddy / pilot of the same family name. Today it took about an hour for me to locate this story by ordinary search methods.
I came upon many Havis family names that fought in the Civil War, all but one serving for the Confederacy.
Background:
An experienced firearms expert, Capt. Minor Havis of the Confederate Havis Battery, accidentally shoots himself with the "new" 38 calibre Smith and Wesson "SAFETY" revolver, in November 1889. at age 60. This is one of the same guns that were subjects of sensationalized ads of the period touted as "impossible to accidentally discharge"
(reference link below)
so, here goes:
Death of Dr. Havis
"At about twelve o'clock Tuesday night, November 26th, Dr. M. W. Havis died at his residence in Perry, from the effects of a wound accidentally received last Friday morning.
The interment took place at Evergreen Cemetery yesterday afternoon. Dr. Havis having been an honorary member of the Perry Rifles, and that command being honorary members of the 1st Ga. Reg. Veterans' Association, of which he was an active and esteemed member, he was buried with military honors.
Six ex-members of the Southern Rights Battery, of which company Dr. Havis was Captain, acted by request as pall-bearers."
The fatal wound occurred at the hardware store of Hugh Lawson located on Carroll Street in the doctor's hometown of Perry, Georgia. Dr. Havis had been inspecting a new 38 caliber hammerless Smith & Wesson pistol; the pistol accidentally fired .
"the bullet entered the person of Dr. Havis, about an inch to the left of the spine, passing through the bone near the hip bone. Dr. Havis then started to walk home, but stopped at the post office. There in a short while Drs. J. B. Smith, D. R. Mann, H. M. Holtzclaw, L. A. Felder, of Perry and Dr. Joseph Palmer, of Oak Lawn attended him. The bullet was probed for, but not extracted, though ascertained to be in the abdomenal cavith (sic). Afterward, about an hour after the wound was received, he walked about 300 yards to his resinence(sic) accompanied by the physicians and several other friends.
At first the wound was recognized as a serious one, though a fatal result was not anticipated. Dr. Havis contended that the bullet was in his bowels, but he was convinced to the contrary.
At home he was constantly attended by the physicians, with the utmost care and skill, and several of his closet friends were with him during each day. At night two doctors were with him.
With the deepest solicitude the people asked often about his condition, and at no time, except possibly early Monday night, was death apprehended. He slept well the latter part of that night, and at noon Tuesday it was believed, and Dr. Havis so expressed himself, that the crisis had passed and that he would recover. Drs. Smith and elder were with him Tuesday night, when at about 11 o'clock a change occurred, and at 12 he was a corpse.
Dr. Havis was 60 years old last April, had been a resident of Perry about 50 years, and began the practice of medicine about 38 years. ago.
He was a man of thorough education, exceptionally able in the knowledge and practice of his profession, and of very strong convictions. Possessed of indomitable will, he was remarkably well preserved for a man of his age. He was a man of strict integrity, with an exceeding high regard for justice. Thoroughly honest in word and deed, he was charitable always, though sometimes apparently harsh. No man we ever knew possessed the confidence and esteem of his friends in a higher degree, and all who knew him were his friends.
He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, a true Christian, a good man in the highest sense. He leaves of his immediate family a heart-broken widow and a nephew, who is an adopted son. His other relatives are five sisters and their families.
The profoundest sorrow prevails, for the community loses one of its best citizens, and our people a strong and steadfast friend. The bereaved ones have the profoundest sympathy of all our people.
A good man has been called to his reward."
Reference link:
Capt. Minor W. Havis
If attorneys of past were sharp enough to file lawsuits there may have been no Smith & Wesson as we know it now.
S&W may have become bankrupt after a lawsuit by the family of a Doctor that accidentally shot himself with a "new" Smith & Wesson .38 Safety hammerless, while in a retail establishment examining it for possible purchase. The revolver that it is impossible to fire accidentally.
I first found this story many years back when searching the family lineage of my life long buddy / pilot of the same family name. Today it took about an hour for me to locate this story by ordinary search methods.
I came upon many Havis family names that fought in the Civil War, all but one serving for the Confederacy.
Background:
An experienced firearms expert, Capt. Minor Havis of the Confederate Havis Battery, accidentally shoots himself with the "new" 38 calibre Smith and Wesson "SAFETY" revolver, in November 1889. at age 60. This is one of the same guns that were subjects of sensationalized ads of the period touted as "impossible to accidentally discharge"
(reference link below)
so, here goes:
Death of Dr. Havis
"At about twelve o'clock Tuesday night, November 26th, Dr. M. W. Havis died at his residence in Perry, from the effects of a wound accidentally received last Friday morning.
The interment took place at Evergreen Cemetery yesterday afternoon. Dr. Havis having been an honorary member of the Perry Rifles, and that command being honorary members of the 1st Ga. Reg. Veterans' Association, of which he was an active and esteemed member, he was buried with military honors.
Six ex-members of the Southern Rights Battery, of which company Dr. Havis was Captain, acted by request as pall-bearers."
The fatal wound occurred at the hardware store of Hugh Lawson located on Carroll Street in the doctor's hometown of Perry, Georgia. Dr. Havis had been inspecting a new 38 caliber hammerless Smith & Wesson pistol; the pistol accidentally fired .
"the bullet entered the person of Dr. Havis, about an inch to the left of the spine, passing through the bone near the hip bone. Dr. Havis then started to walk home, but stopped at the post office. There in a short while Drs. J. B. Smith, D. R. Mann, H. M. Holtzclaw, L. A. Felder, of Perry and Dr. Joseph Palmer, of Oak Lawn attended him. The bullet was probed for, but not extracted, though ascertained to be in the abdomenal cavith (sic). Afterward, about an hour after the wound was received, he walked about 300 yards to his resinence(sic) accompanied by the physicians and several other friends.
At first the wound was recognized as a serious one, though a fatal result was not anticipated. Dr. Havis contended that the bullet was in his bowels, but he was convinced to the contrary.
At home he was constantly attended by the physicians, with the utmost care and skill, and several of his closet friends were with him during each day. At night two doctors were with him.
With the deepest solicitude the people asked often about his condition, and at no time, except possibly early Monday night, was death apprehended. He slept well the latter part of that night, and at noon Tuesday it was believed, and Dr. Havis so expressed himself, that the crisis had passed and that he would recover. Drs. Smith and elder were with him Tuesday night, when at about 11 o'clock a change occurred, and at 12 he was a corpse.
Dr. Havis was 60 years old last April, had been a resident of Perry about 50 years, and began the practice of medicine about 38 years. ago.
He was a man of thorough education, exceptionally able in the knowledge and practice of his profession, and of very strong convictions. Possessed of indomitable will, he was remarkably well preserved for a man of his age. He was a man of strict integrity, with an exceeding high regard for justice. Thoroughly honest in word and deed, he was charitable always, though sometimes apparently harsh. No man we ever knew possessed the confidence and esteem of his friends in a higher degree, and all who knew him were his friends.
He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, a true Christian, a good man in the highest sense. He leaves of his immediate family a heart-broken widow and a nephew, who is an adopted son. His other relatives are five sisters and their families.
The profoundest sorrow prevails, for the community loses one of its best citizens, and our people a strong and steadfast friend. The bereaved ones have the profoundest sympathy of all our people.
A good man has been called to his reward."
Reference link:
Capt. Minor W. Havis
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