State v. Simonds

The respondent was convicted of the careless handling of firearms whereby a woman was shot to death and a man injured. Sentence was imposed, but suspended pending this review.

The following facts may be treated as established: On the afternoon of November 29, 1934, Ruth Pratt, carrying a 30-30 rifle, was hunting deer on the mountain near Gaysville, a village in the town of Stockbridge. Late in the afternoon she fell in with her brother-in-law, Ebenezer Proctor, who was also hunting deer. Together they walked through the woods toward Gaysville. They came to a big maple tree which stood at the…