Boy's Revolver Cracks in Crowded Theatre and Adds Thrill to Western Picture

 The Marietta Daily Times, February 20, 1926

A touch of the realistic was injected into the make-believe of a roaring western melodrama at the Lyric theatre on Friday evening when a 13-year-old boy discharged a revolver in the middle of a capacity audience. The bullet from the gun tore through the skirt of an overcoat worn by Glen Andrews, a Junior High school student, passed on through the leg of his trousers, struck a seat iron and glanced harmlessly to the floor. No one was injured.

Johnny Kidd, son of Fremont Kidd of Cisler's Ridge, had possession of the gun, a harmless-looking weapon of 22-calibre. It was in his trousers pocket, he declares, when it was discharged, and he says the whole thing was an accident. Johnny was slated to explain matters to the juvenile court on Saturday.

The chance shot was fired shortly after 7 o'clock, and the theatre was packed. "The Riddle Rider," one of those western pictures with Indians and cowboys and wild-riding heroes and an appealing heroine was on the screen. It is a serial that the Lyric is running and just as the story reached a thrilling climax and the audience was keyed to the highest pitch of excitement, the gun cracked and the smell of real powder was wafted over the crowed.

The management called for the police and a whole squad of bluecoats responded. They pressed into the theatre and wormed their way through the crowd, finally discovering the boy with the gun. He was taken to headquarters and there told his story to Lieutenant Mills. He couldn't account for the firing of the gun and insisted that he wasn't even touching the weapon when it "took a fool notion to explode."

Judge Fleming of the juvenile court was called to headquarters and after questioning the Kidd boy, he sent him home with an agreement that he would report in court on Saturday.

The lad lives north of the city near the old Cole farm, and he and a twin brother attend the Lyric theatre regularly. "We always try to be there on Friday nights to see "The Riddle Rider," he told the judge. "It's a good picture and we like it. Several nights when we have walked to our home in the country, persons in automobiles along the Glendale hill road have shot at us, so I decided to get a gun. I bought the weapon of Chuck Camden of Norwood, giving him 50 cents for it. I got shells for it out of my father's rifle at home. I have carried the gun for a week or 10 days.

Johnny is a small boy for his years, is a student at Junior High school, and this is the first time that he has been in trouble. His chief concern on Friday evening was the worry his experience would bring to his parents.