A Medford Tragedy.
Among the sermons of Dr. Osgood, mentioned in the Medford History, was one ‘on the Death of a Child killed by a Gun.’ We have wondered many times what were the circumstances of the sad event, or whether it was the same old story of ‘didn't know it was loaded.’The ‘Child’ was a Medford schoolboy, twelve years old, Joseph Teel by name, and was probably an uncle of the Mr. Teel mentioned elsewhere in this issue of the Register.
It appears that on March 29, 1797, a ‘sportsman’ was passing along the country road, as High street was then called, just as a party of boys came from, or toward, the old brick schoolhouse that stood near the third meetinghouse. The boys were all excited in the chase of a rabbit, which eluded them and disappeared in a drain under the road. This was near the old house of Parson Turell, then occupied by a Boston merchant or capitalist, John Coffin Jones. The location was the present Winthrop square, but who the hunter was is unknown. He became excited, also, in the pursuit of the game; so much so that he laid his gun over the shoulder of one of the boys and ran to look into the drain.
If he expected the boy to stand still like a post he was mistaken. The gun fell to the ground, and having no guard around the trigger was discharged, and the contents lodged in the stomach of young Teel, who died almost immediately.
His funeral, attended by all his schoolmates and a large concourse of the town's people, furnished the village pastor the theme of the discourse, said to have been printed.
And so, from among his fellows, was taken a young life full of promise, and gloom and sadness came to a Medford home.
Doubtless the good doctor took occasion to enforce some lessons of religious truth, and perhaps the sportsman
