Looking back: Girl accidentally kills brother, and city worker collides with Christmas tree on Main Street

IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of Dec. 8 to Dec. 14 in east Idaho history.

1900-1925

BLACKFOOT — A little girl accidentally shot and killed her brother, The Bingham County News reported on Dec. 14, 1916.

The accident happened in Springfield, which is in Bingham County, and involved the Isaacs family. Mrs. Isaac needed to use a gun at her home — it’s not clear what for — but afterward, she laid it down on a dresser or a table.

Mrs. Isaac’s daughter saw the gun and grabbed it. It’s not clear how old she was but she began pointing it at her brother as she did with the toy pistol they had. She then pulled the trigger, and a bullet tore through one of her brother’s arms and entered his intestines.

The father immediately rushed his son to Blackfoot, where “everything possible was done” but the child died.

“The family is much grieved over the unfortunate accident, and particularly in that the child was the only son,” the article reads.

1926-1950

BINGHAM COUNTY — Officers were searching for the people involved in stealing 15 head of cows valued at more than $4,000, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on Dec. 14, 1950.

Bonneville County Sheriff Dean F. Wilkie and chief deputy Joe W. McNeil, said they were informed a large truck apparently was used in loading the cows. The cows were valued at $275 a head for a total of $4,125.

The animals were located on a ranch in Springfield in Bingham County and belonged to Sam Grover. They had a “3E” brand on the left rib and a small portion of skin taken from the left ear.

“East Idaho officers ask the cooperation of the public, particularly livestock buyers and dealers, in notifying the nearest officer (if they had information),” the article stated.

1951-1975

RIGBY — A Rigby city worker collided head-on with the Christmas tree that was put up in the center of Main Street, The Rigby Star reported on Dec. 13, 1951.

Oliver Braegger hit the tree early Sunday morning while he was driving to help repair a broken fire hydrant on Main Street.

Bright lights of an on-coming car and his windshield being fogged over contributed to the crash.

“Oliver took a lot of good-natured ‘ribbing’ at the hands of his co-workers due to the fact that he assisted in erecting the tree,” The Rigby Star mentioned.

After the accident, the tree was put back in place and the lights were repaired.

1976-2000

POCATELLO — A 24-year-old man was shot while he and another man walked across Center Street in Pocatello, the Idaho State Journal reported on Dec. 11, 1977.

Jerry Motton was listed in fair condition at the St. Anthony Hospital where he was recovering from a bullet wound to the abdomen.

Police said five or six shots from a “large-caliber gun” were fired by a third man. This all happened as store employees along that part of Center Street were closing up for the night.

One bullet blasted a hole in one of the business’s window and struck a wall three feet from where the cashier usually sat. The cashier was locking the front door when she heard the glass pop.

Another shot ripped through a small car parked on the southside of Center Street and flattened a tire and damaged some engine parts. A third round hit a light fixture and then ricocheted off a wall of another business.

Police believe it was the fourth bullet that hit Motton. He was then partly carried and dragged east along Center Street by his companion for about 60 feet as both tried to escape the gunfire.

A fifth shot went over the head of a store employee who came outside to see what was going on.

“I could feel the bullet pass by me,” the employee said.

Witnesses said two of three men seen leaving Ally-Oops minutes before the shooting started were the ones fired at.

Police were investigating the incident.