16-YEAR-OLD OLNEY BOY FATALLY SHOT ~

An "imaginary game of war" last Saturday afternoon December 10, 1955, played with shotguns by two Olney teenage brothers resulted in death when William J. Jenkins 14, fired an "unpremeditated" blast from a sixteen gauge shotgun at his brother, James E. Jenkins, 16, who died within moments after the shooting. The boys were hunting rabbits and on the way home played imaginary war games, shooting into the ground in front of them and aiming at imaginary targets.  The fatal mishap occurred in an open field just southwest of the city limits near the youths' home on Wayne Street about 2:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

The body of the youth, known as "Whitey" to his classmates at East Richland High School, was removed to Summers-Wilson Funeral Home where services were held with Rev. L.S. McKown officiating. Interment in the Maple Dale Cemetery.

James is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Jenkins, and his brother, William, two other brothers, John with the U. S. Army at Fort Knox, KY and David of Olney; two sisters, Mrs. Vera Massey of Decatur, and Bessie Jenkins of Olney; and grandparents, Orville Luther,of Olney, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Rodgers of Olney, and Mr.. and Mrs. Byron Colborn of Ypsilanti, MI.

Published in the Olney Advocate (IL) - Thursday, December 15, 1955.