Freshman Dies of Wound In Target Practice Mishap

Michael Zilahy '53 died at 9:10 p.m. last night as the result of a bullet wound received while he was target shooting in the basement rifle range of the Indoor Athletic Building yesterday afternoon.

The 18-year-old freshman apparently pulled the trigger accidentally while adjusting his rifle strap, police said last night. According to conflicting reports of eyewitnesses, Zilahy picked up the rifle, a .22 calibre Winchester, and found the leather sling too tight. In either a sitting or kneeling position, he attempted to loosen the sling, they said. The gun discharged, and the bullet lodged in Zilahy's forehead.

The rifle range is 50 feet long and has three firing positions. Zilahy's position was at the extreme left.

Knight Comments

Hale M. Knight '50, captain of the varsity rifle team, said last night that Zilahy had been down to the range several times previously and presumably knew the rule that all weapons are kept on safety until aim is taken.

This is the first time there has been an accident on the range, Knight pointed out.

Immediately after the accident, Zilahy was rushed to the peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, where he died. Police are awaiting a medical report, which will be made this morning by Michael A. Luongo, associate medical examiner and research fellow in the Harvard Department of Legal Medicine.

Zilahy, a scholarship holder and honors student, lived in Wigglesworth Hall. His home was in Brooklyn, New York.

He came to this country from Hungary two years ago, after living in Budapost during the war and during the long siege of that city by the Russians. His father is Lajos Zilahy, author of 1943 best seller, "The Dukays." Michael was an only son.

Before coming to Harvard, Zilahy attended the George School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he was editor of the school newspaper.

His roommates described him last night as "a quiet, sensitive, and very thoughtful person.