Source, Rutland Daily Herald--July 4, 1911. WHO SOLD THE CARTRIDGE ? Ernest Heath Blows Off Part of His Hand With Pistol and Blank. The campaign for a safe Fourth of July which is being waged throughout the country, in Rutland as elsewhere, received startling justification yesterday morning when 10 year old Ernest Heath, son of Mr. and Mrs. Heath of No. 31 Forest street, had part of his left hand blown to pieces by a blank cartridge from a toy pistol. The cartridge exploded while young Heath had the pistol pressed against his hand. A physician was hurriedly summoned, the boy taken to the hospital and an operation performed, it being found necessary to remove a large part of the fleshy portion of the hand to ward against tetanus. As there is a city ordinance against the sale of explosives, this accident may be the cause of legal action against those who are evading the law. The police department is investigating. The boy's parents know nothing of the purchase of the weapon, but some of his playmates knew of two places in town were they could be bought. Transcribed by, Joan H. Bixby Genealogy not just a hobby, but a labor of love.