Rudy Hanson, c. 1917.
March 7, 1920 – A tragic accident occurred near the Boom when twenty-year-old Rudy Hanson was killed by the accidental discharge of a shotgun.
Rudy, his younger brother Arthur, and Joe Rossi had left Boyle’s camp early on a hand car heading to a point on the river below the Boom to find clams. After securing their clams, they returned to the Boom and began their return trip to the logging camp. According to the Beacon, “They were driving the hand car at a brisk rate of speed and were crossing a trestle when in making a turn the car left the track.” A loaded shotgun fell out of the car, and the gun discharged, hitting Rudy in the neck. He was instantly killed. Arthur “ran back to the Boom and notified Percy Daniels who came back with him and secured the body, and it was shortly brought to town and an inquest was held.”
Born in Mendocino, Rudy was the son of Victor and Mary (Sandvick) Hanson, who had immigrated from Finland in 1882. Rudy “had spent practically all of his life in this section, attending the local grammar and high schools, but leaving the latter before the completion of his course to take up employment in the Iocal logging camp.”
The funeral took place at the home of Henry and Lupy Gorden on School Street, with Rev. H. P. Ingram of the Mendocino Presbyterian Church officiating. In addition to his parents, Rudy was survived by three brothers, Victor of New York and Walter and Arthur of Mendocino, and two sisters, Ellen of Fort Bragg and Elsie Gowan of San Francisco.
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