1915-06-21ww

“Today Edmund Bradley, bank clerk, who resides at the home of his mother, Mrs. C. C. Bradley, 348 Aberdeen avenue, is lying in St. Joseph’s hospital with a revolver shot in his stomach”

Hamilton Spectator.    June 21, 1915.

Hamilton newspaper readers were shocked on Monday June 21, 1915 when they read of a bizarre shooting incident which had occurred the previous Saturday evening. The shooting victim was given little chance of survival by any of the four doctors who were attending to him.

Shortly before seven o’clock, Saturday evening, June 19, 1915, Edmund Bradley, 17 years old, was visiting Miss Mildred Colquhoun at her family home, Glenhead, on the mountain.

Bradley was a very popular young man in both banking and social circles, and had recently stated his intention to enlist for active service within a week.

There was no one present when the shot rang out, other than Bradley and Miss Colquhoun:

“The incident occurred during a tennis party held at Glenhead on Saturday afternoon and evening. James Bradley, brother of the injured lad, states that his brother and Miss Colquhoun, having finished a set of tennis, went into the dining room of the house for a drink of water.

“Mr. Bradley had previously shown a party of young people present a revolver of .32 caliber, which he had borrowed from the Imperial bank where he was employed as a ledger-keeper.

“The rest of the party was on the lawn, according to the injured lad’s brother, when the shot was heard and Miss Colquhoun ran out of the house crying, ‘He’s shot, he’s shot!’ Young Bradley was found lying on the floor of the dining room, his tennis shirt red with blood.”¹

¹ “E. Bradley May Be Fatally Wounded : He Was Accidentally Shot While at a Tennis Party at Home of E. R. Colquhoun on Mountain Saturday Evening.”

Hamilton Spectator.   June 21, 1915.

Glehead, the Colquhoun home, was located nearby the Hamilton Asylum. Dr. Webster, of the asylum, was informed of the incident. He was on the scene in very short order, but could little for young Bradley.

“The Hamilton police were quickly telephoned, asking that an ambulance be brought quickly. Chief Whatley, advised of the call, said that the caller should be informed that as the home was not within the city limits, a private ambulance would have to be summoned. This was done, and Bradley was finally rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

At the hospital, an operation was performed, and the bullet was extracted. Bradley’s mother was at her son’s hospital beside constantly. On Monday morning, Chief Clark, of the Dundas police, informed reporters that he would attempt to secure a statement from Bradley from the wounded lad, although he was still in very critical condition.

The following day, Mrs. E. A. Colquhoun, Mildred Colquhoun’s mother made a public statement regarding the accident:

“My daughter was not alone in the dining room with Mr. Bradley as stated yesterday, but was reading a book when a member of the party entered and began to tease her

“Mr. Bradley entered after this and, taking a revolver from his pocket , pushed it across the table towards my daughter, with the muzzle pointing towards himself, jokingly saying as he did so, ‘Shoot him.’

“My daughter put her hand on the weapon without lifting it. As she did so, Mr. Bradley said, ‘Look out : it’s loaded.’ She laughed as he spoke then there was a report and he exclaimed, ‘I’m shot.’

“My daughter immediately went out and procured a doctor, who attended to Mr. Bradley. Before he was taken to the hospital, he stated that my daughter was not in the least to blame for the accident, and he conducted himself very bravely throughout.”²

² “How It Happened : Mrs. E. A. Colquhoun Makes a Statement Regarding Accident.”

Hamilton Herald.    June 22, 1915.

Edmund Bradley lingered for three weeks, but finally succumbed to his wound on July 4, 1915. His mother was at his beside when he passed.

It was determined that there would be no inquest. It had been fully determined that Mildred Colquhoun had indeed discharged the .32 caliber revolver, the bullet entering Bradley’s stomach.

Mildred Colquhoun had been completely overcome with grief since the incident.

In a statement, made as he was dying, Bradley was quoted as saying, “It was all my own fault. I should not have had the gun with me, and the only reason I had it was for protection going down the mountain drive at night. The young lady, a lad from Toronto and myself were in the dining room of the house when I pulled out the gun and showed it to her. I don’t know what made me say what I did, but I told her to ‘look at that.’ She took it from my hand and it accidentally went off. The blame was all mine.”³

³ “Took All the Blame : Edmund Bradley Made Statement Before His Death”

Hamilton. Herald.   July 5, 1915