Train Passes Over Baby; She's Unhurt

1920

BUTLER, Pennsylvania. — Agnes Deamore, 2-year-old daughter of Antonio Deamore, has the movie picture actors beaten a mile when it comes to realities.

Agnes' home is near the Bessemer railroad. She wandered out of the back yard of her home onto the railroad. She was sitting between the rails of the main track playing when a double header freight train came along. The first locomotive struck Agnes, and she fell face down between the rails. The two locomotives and ten freight cars passed over her.

Witnesses who rushed to the scene expecting to find a mass of mangled bones and flesh found Agnes much alive and yelling for her mother. She sustained a few abrasions of the scalp and face, but was not seriously hurt.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 1.

Collapse of Quebec's World's Greatest Bridge

1916

Quebec, Que., Sept. 11. — The span of the world's greatest bridge collapsed into the St. Lawrence river today with a loss of life variously estimated.

The Company erecting the structure placed the number of deaths at upward of 25, but H. P. Borden, a member of the Quebec bridge commission, expressed the opinion that only three persons were lost. Several hours after the accident happened, at 10.30 o'clock, a special train into Quebec brought 20 men who had been injured.

Nine years ago a similar accident at the same spot took a toll of 70 lives. Today 90 men were carried into the river when the 5,000 ton span, being raised from pontoons in an engineering feat designed to complete the $17,000,000 cantilever suspension for transcontinental railway traffic, plunged a distance of fifteen feet into the water and sank 200 feet below the surface perhaps never to be recovered.

Contradictory stories were told regarding the collapse. The pontoons had been removed and the span was being lifted by massive hydraulic jacks when, according to some of the spectators, the northern end of the span fell with the breaking of girders. Frantic efforts were made to plate a chain rope around the tottering structure, but with reports like shells exploding the remaining supports snapped and the span disappeared with a spectacular splash.

Some of the observers said that the structure buckled at the center as it fell. Groups of men at work slipped off into the water and others were knocked into space by flying debris. Scores of craft containing spectators went to the rescue and their endeavors prevented a larger loss of life.

Toronto, Sept. 11. — The property loss resulting from the Quebec bridge disaster will be about $600,000, it was stated here today by George L. Evans of the Dominion Bridge Company. The accident will delay the completion of the structure for ten months, he said.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 12, 1916, p. 6.

Killed in Ensilage Cutter.

1916

DANVILLE, Illinois — Charles Kenton, a farmer of Chrisman, south of here, was instantly killed when he fell into an ensilage cutter. He was 60 years old.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.

Seeks Action, Kills Self

1919

FREEPORT, L. I. — The desire of Stanley Simon, 19, for "more action" in a short story he was writing caused his death according to a coroner's verdict. A magazine returned a story to Simon, suggesting he get "more action" in it. Simon was experimenting with a revolver, when it exploded, killing him.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.

Boy's Finger Valued at $11,000

1919

SUNBURY, Pa. — Placing the value of his son's little finger on the left hand at $11,000, Idres Davies of Shamokin, brought suit against J. J. Martini for the amount. According to Davies, the boy was operating a meat slicer in Martini's place that was unprotected. The boy showed great talent as a violinist and now he will he unable to perform.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.

Nerviest Little Man in Nebraska

1907

Raymond Weber, Aged 4

He didn't cry, although his father did when the latter found him alive at bottom of a well.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb., March 9 — Raymond Weber, of this city, is only 4 years old, but he has won distinction of being the nerviest little man in Nebraska. Raymond is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Weber. He was playing in the yard with his 7-year-old brother, and the two went to the well and looked down.

There they saw a silver speck, and they wondered if it were really water and if there were gnomes and fairies and things down there. Raymond leaned way over to see. Suddenly he lost his hold and down he went. His brother ran screaming away, but soon the neighbors for a mile around were on the scene.

It was twenty-five feet to the bottom, and a windlass had to be rigged. Soon the father was going down with a load on his heart as heavy as lead, but hoping also. At the bottom he found his boy, standing in a foot of water, cool and with not a tear. "Me wet, papa," he said, as the sobbing man gathered him up.

Wave Tosses Fisherman Out of Dory in Storm

1915

Victim of Accident Drowns Out From Boston

BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 16 — Just as the fishing schooner Elk, Capt. Patrick Murphy, arrived at the Fish Pier, South Boston, in the gray of dawn the other morning, with her colors at half-mast, Philip Kusa, aged 24, one of two men lost from the schooner a fortnight ago during a gale on Browns' Bank, came in aboard the Yarmouth steamer, reporting that his dorymate, Gordon Goodwin, aged 22, of East Publico, Mass., had been washed from his dory and drowned.

The drowned man was a brother of Griffin Goodwin of the schooner Flavilla.

The Elk had been fishing on Browns' for several days. One morning recently, the dorymen, fishing two in a boat, were out hauling trawls. At sundown, Kusa, making his first fishing trip, and Goodwin failed to report aboard.

There was a high wind blowing and a terrific sea. Captain Murphy sailed about searching for the two men, but without success.

Meanwhile the two dorymen were battling with a terrible sea. Their little boat was tossed about like an eggshell. Finally a vicious wave washed Goodwin clean out of the boat, while Kusa clung on for dear life.

Unable to do anything to save his companion young Kusa clung to his boat and watched his companion sink. All that night he was tossed about by the waters and all next day. About 5 o'clock that night, weak from lack of food and drink and unnerved by the fearful experience of seeing Goodwin drown, Kusa was picked up by the schooner Pauline.

The schooner landed him at Shelbourne and he secured passage to this port.

Perils of a Pearl Diver

1895

Hanging Head Down For Half an Hour Before Being Rescued

I had not been diving more than three weeks when my first accident happened, says a writer in the Cosmopolitan, and it was so utterly unexpected and so nearly cost me my life that it taught me a lesson which I never forgot.

It happened in the following simple way: "I had been working in about ten fathoms of water, a fairly good patch of shell, for several hours, and about dinner time, having a full bag, I screwed up the valve, to make myself lighter, and gave the customary signal to be pulled up. The life-line tautened, and I was soon lifted from my feet and being drawn toward the lighter water above. The angry frame of mind that usually attends a diver at work passes away he is raised to the surface, and I was within ten feet of the boat, and just getting good-tempered again at the thought of a mouthful of fresh air, when I felt a sudden jerk under my left arm, and at the same instant my progress was stopped. Before I realized what was the matter the air pipe that held it under my arm, slipped over it, and I was pulled head downward, while the hauling of the boys above on the life-line, which was fast around my waist, raised the lower part of my body and left me suspended heels up!

"In the first few moments of my surprise and terror I did not stop to think what had happened; my presence of mind deserted me, and I struggled and screamed like a caged madman. I felt that I was trapped and I was in an agony of fright. After a little while, having kicked myself into a state of exhaustion and common sense, I reasoned out the case of my dilemma. As the strain on the air pipe was downward and that of the life-line upward, I concluded that the air pipe must be fast below, and that the only thing to be done was to go down again and clear it.

"First, I regulated the air in my dress, letting out as much as I could spare, for in my present position all the air went into my legs and kept them floating upward, and then I tried to make the boys understand that I wanted them to lower me. All my jerks and shakes on the life-line, however, failed to get what I wanted. They obstinately held the line taut, trying every few minutes to pull me in halves. Fortunately all my gear was in very good shape or they would have accomplished it. I learned afterward that all on deck were so scared that they were of no use, but they finally had sense enough to signal for help, and, after hanging between the top and the bottom for about half an hour, my air pipe was loosened from below by another diver and I was pulled up, thankful enough to get my feet down to their proper level once more."

Car Embarks on Driverless Jaunt

Nebraska, 1934

A runaway created a few thrilling moments for folks on main street Tuesday, but it wasn't the familiar spectacle of olden days when frightened horses often embarked on a mad jaunt minus a driver; the runaway in this case was a "horseless carriage" belong to Rudolph Gustafson.

Gustafson stopped his car, a Model "A" Ford, in the alley at the side of his house on Second street, behind Jacobs' studio, and apparently forgot to set the brakes properly. He stepped into the house and when he returned, the car had started its ride to freedom. Gustafson attempted to run after the car and stop it but he stumbled and fell, and the auto continued a winding path westward and downhill, toward the bright light section.

At the bottom of the hill the car jumped the curbing by the Jacobs studio and kept rolling across main street until its journey was terminated abruptly by a collision with a cement block in front of Nelson Bros. garage. Had it not turned a bit too much to the right, the author would have gone straight through the door into the garage.

It missed, however, and now it reposes in the garage through necessity. The crash into the cement block bent the front axle and the front end of the frame, and also broke the flywheel and clutch housing.

—Oakland Independent and Republican, Oakland, Nebraska, June 29, 1934, p. 4.

Florida Man Has Team of Alligators Pulling His Boat

1901

LEE DRIVES A QUEER TEAM

Florida Man Who Employs Alligators to Tow His Boat

Jefferson Lee, who lives on the St. John's river, in Putnam county, Fla., has the most extraordinary team in the country. It is a team of alligators that Mr. Lee uses to tow his boat up and down the river when he goes to market.

Mr. Lee has to go six miles down the river to his post office, and it is a hard pull against the current, coming back. He noticed how swiftly alligators swam, and it occurred to him that it might be a good idea to turn the alligators that abound in the St. John's river to some account. He captured a pair of young 'gators and raised them in his yard. He taught them to swim and drag a weight behind them, and he also taught them to turn either to the right or left by pulling ropes fastened to their teeth on either side.

When the alligators were big enough he put a harness that he had constructed on them and harnessed them to his boat. They swam well and pulled the boat through the water at a good speed. By pulling the reins that passed through the mouths of the 'gators, Mr. Lee was able to turn his strange water team in the direction he pleased.

Mr. Lee made a point of never feeding his alligators until after they returned from a trip, when he would immediately reward each one with a fine meal.

The alligators seem to be willing to perform their task of pulling his boat, and when he turns them out of the pen in which they are stabled and starts them for the water, they shuffle down to the boat in the liveliest style, and after they are hitched they plunge into the water with grunts of delight.

Mr. Lee says his strange team has never run away nor kicked out the dashboard of his river craft, but that they have one fault, for which, however, he does not blame them. They sometimes sweep their powerful tails in a curve through the water, and once smashed one of his boats into little bits and threw Mr. Lee and a party that he was taking boat riding into the river. They would all have been drowned had not the alligators swam back to them and permitted the party to climb on their backs, after which the alligators swam swiftly to the shore and all the party were saved. Mr. Lee now hitches his team 20 feet in front of the boat, so that the sweep of their tails will not endanger the craft.

Mr. Lee's success has created great interest among all of his neighbors, and now many alligators are being trained for duty as sea horses. — Chicago Tribune.

Automobile Hypnosis Is Latest Disease

1917

Another disease has been discovered which is said to account for so many automobile accidents. It is motor auto hypnosis. Men and women are alike affected by it, and unconsciously lose control of the steering wheel.

Psychologists offer various reasons for the trouble. The term has come into general use only recently, but has been more widely observed since the variety of the phenomenon has been more closely studied.

It might be clearer to use the more readily comprehensive term of "automobile sleepiness."

There is, as most everyone knows, a certain lull about touring in a car. The air, the buzz of the motor, all have a tendency to quiet the nerves and produce a desire for sleep.

Frequently automobile accidents occur on country roads, with nothing to distract the attention of the driver of the car, no traffic to avoid, no bad places in the pavement. When such an inexplicable accident occurs the excuse that something went wrong with the steering gear is usually offered. In nine cases out of ten the steering gear was all right, but something went wrong with the man at the wheel.

A man was recently heard to remark to a friend about a remarkable experience he had enjoyed the night before when, he declared, he drove his car, after midnight, for nearly a mile and was asleep the entire time. Fortunately for the man, the street was wide and there were few cars out.

But this is merely an incident that is bringing before our psychologists this momentous question.

When an accident does happen it is but natural that the man dislikes to acknowledge his negligence. He has to blame somebody, so he blames the car.

Now come certain responsible scientists who prove conclusively that the man at the wheel is not always to blame. He is a victim of auto hypnosis. He becomes unconsciously drowsy. The feeling creeps on him unawares and before he knows it he loses control of the wheel and accidents follow.

There seems to be reason in this theory, and if there is, the victim should permit someone else who is immune from the affection to handle his car in future. Public and his personal safety demands this.

—New Castle News, New Castle, PA, April 13, 1917, p. 8.

Here and There — Miss Fairy Straley's School Closed

Pennsylvania, 1921

Miss Fairy Straley's school, Midway, closed on Tuesday. A summer school will be opened in Midway schoolhouse on Monday by Miss Ioma Yake to be conducted for the next eight weeks.

A .22 cartridge in a pipeful of tobacco exploded as Chas. Kappes was smoking in the Eagle's home, Gettysburg, on Tuesday night, shattering the pipe. The bullet just missed the head of Wm. Tipton, Jr., who was seated nearby.

When A. E. Walker, aged 42, of East Berlin R. D., was arrested by Patrolman Stayman for disregarding the traffic signal Saturday afternoon, he explained, not as an excuse at all, that altho he is the father of nine children and is a truck farmer, he clean forgot all about the traffic regulations. Chief Craver discharged him with a reprimand, declaring that a man with nine children, and who has nerve enough to buy an automobile, too, ought to have some consideration.

A service for the benefit of the starving Chinese will be held in Maple Grove chapel, near Abbottstown on Saturday evening. The Rev. Paul Glatfelter and William H. Menges, of Menges Mills, will be the speakers. A silver offering will be lifted.

George W. Rudisill, about 65 years old, a well-known farmer of near Glenville, was injured in a horrible manner Friday morning, and later in the day had his right arm removed at the West Side sanatorium, York. His arm was caught and shredded in a grain separator, which he was operating at the time of the accident.

—New Oxford Item, New Oxford, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1921.

Hoodoo Too Much For Columbus Girl

1910

Shoots Herself After Dining at Table With Thirteen

Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 25 — Miss Mary Hollenback, 18, if she recovers from a bullet wound in her left breast, will probably have more respect for the hoodoo number 13. The Hollenback family held a housewarming at their home on the North Side. Members of the immediate family were present and when the time for dinner came it was found there were 13 present. Mary was the last to seat herself at the table. "I don't care if there are 13 here," said Mary. "I can't believe in luck anyway."

Shortly after the conclusion of the meal Miss Hollenback, while examining a revolver belonging to her brother, accidentally pulled the trigger, the bullet hit a corset stay, was deflected and entered her left breast, inflicting a serious but not necessarily fatal wound.

—The Mansfield News, Mansfield, Ohio, Nov. 25, 1910, p. 2.

A Woman's Finger Torn Off

1878

One of the most singular accidents which it has fallen to our lot to record occurred to Mrs. George Sweeley, who resides at the corner of Perry street and Central avenue, Albany, N. Y.

Mrs. Sweeley, it appears, went out to her hen-house to collect the eggs, and in order to reach one nest on a sort of loft, she was obliged to use a step ladder. She mounted the ladder, which was set against the side of the house, and while in the act of reaching out, slipped and fell. As she slipped, she endeavored to catch hold of a beam just above the ladder, but her hand slipped off that, and her heavy plain gold wedding ring on the third finger of her left hand caught on projecting nail. By the fall her whole weight was thrown on that one finger, and the nail being firm, the flesh of the finger was stripped from the bone by the ring up to the first joint, when that joint, with the stripped flesh, was cut off as clean as though amputated by a surgeon, and fell to the ground.

Strange to say, not a drop of blood flowed from the severed member. Mrs. Sweeley hastened into the house in a fainting condition, and Drs. Wm. H. Murray and T. H. Starkweather being sent for, amputated what was left of the finger close to the hand. The ring was subsequently found still hanging on the nail with the severed finger beneath it.

2-Year-Old Child Declared Intoxicated, Also Parents

1909

Baby Drunk; Also Parents

CHICAGO — The 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Doyle was declared to be intoxicated when taken to the City Relief Hospital by the police. Doyle and his wife were arrested at Clark and Lake streets, Chicago. The woman, intoxicated, had fallen asleep on the sidewalk and her husband was on the curbing in the same condition, the child was clinging to his neck. The parents were locked up at the Harrison street station, and after the child was cared for at the hospital it was placed in the care of the police matron. Doyle gave his age as 26, but could not tell where he lived.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Oct. 9, 1909, p. 1.


Drinks Iodine for Cider

LOS ANGELES, Cal., Oct. 7 — The filing of a death notice disclosed a peculiar case of accidental poisoning. Mrs. Katherine F. Lynch of New York, a guest at a hotel, went to the pantry of her apartment last Sunday to take a drink of cider and in the darkness drank iodine. She died 24 hours later.


Had 4 Wives; 35 Children

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A. Milton Musser, 70 years old, assistant historian of the Mormon Church and one of the early pioneers of Utah, died, following an operation for intestinal trouble. He had four wives and was the father of thirty-five children.

Man Lives Without Stomach — Predigested Food

1909

Man Lives Without Stomach

NEW YORK — William Smith, whose stomach was removed three weeks ago in the Bushwick Hospital, Brooklyn, has left the institution cured, the surgeons say. There is no reason why Smith cannot live, it is said, and his only handicap will be that he can eat nothing except predigested foods.


Stove Discharged Rifle

EVANSVILLE, Indiana — A stove, which Mrs. Mary Gregory was trying to set up this afternoon fell against a loaded rifle in the corner. The weapon was discharged and Mrs. Gregory was shot in the abdomen and is said to be dying tonight.


Whisky is 86 Years Old

SPENCER, Indiana — Workmen engaged in tearing down the old Owen County courthouse found a gallon jug of whisky, 86 years old, buried in a crevice in the foundation stones under the building. The liquor is in possession of the county auditor, who has purchased a spoon preparatory to dealing the liquid out to county officials and others.


Hurled From Auto Into Tree

NEW YORK — When a speeding automobile struck a tree near Coney Island five men were in the machine, but after the accident the ambulance physicians found only four men, all of whom had suffered broken ribs or other injuries. When one of the four recovered consciousness he inquired for the fifth member of the party and a search revealed an unconscious man hanging over a limb of a tree, to which he had been hurled by the collision.

A Dear Horse's Fatal Kick

1878

The Lewiston (Me.) Journal tells the following story: "A gentleman from North Lexington, Mass., who formerly resided in this county, tells us of a singular circumstance which occurred recently in that town, in which a man was actually 'kicked to death by a dead horse." It seems the man's horse had died, a grave had been dug for the animal's body, and, with the assistance of another man, the owner was proceeding to lower the body to its final resting place. As it reached the edge of the cavity, it accidentally lurched over, one of the animal's hoofs caught in the frock which the man wore and threw him over the beast, headforemost, into the hole, where he struck upon, his head, breaking his neck."

Comment: This would be a better story if there were an "old gypsy" who said the horse would be the man's death. So he is cautious and kills the horse to make the curse impossible to fulfill. Then as he's burying the horse, the hoofs catch the frock, etc. As it is, though, it's still pretty good. But he's not exactly "kicked" to death; the death only involves the feet, though not with any kicking behind them.

Man's Pipe Shoots Bullet Through Cow

1920

Valuable Dairy Animal Dies Peculiar Death.

Smoker Gets Cartridges Mixed in With Tobacco — Tragic Explosion Results.

LYNN, Mass. — The "Queen of the Dairy" is dead, and she met her death in a very peculiar manner.

Jackson Bugger, proprietor of a local dairy farm, keeps thirty cows. The Queen of the Dairy was known by her peculiar markings. Some called her the "calico" cow, but Mr. Bugger named her the Queen, because she was his best cow.

On a recent afternoon Mr. Bugger's herd was in the barnyard. He went there to drive the cows into the barn. He stopped at the barnyard pump, took his pipe from his hip pocket, filled it with loose tobacco from his coat pocket, lighted his pipe and started to drive the cows into the barn.

Queen of the Dairy stood several feet away from the other cows. Mr. Bugger walked toward her and when a few feet away there was a loud explosion and his pipe was blown into countless pieces. Smoke filled his eyes. He rubbed them, and when the fog cleared away Queen of the Dairy lay at his feet dead with a bullet through her head.

Mr. Bugger says he was out in a back lot after dinner shooting at crows with a 32-caliber rifle; that he carried the loose cartridges in his coat pocket with his tobacco and that he placed a cartridge in his pipe which "went off," struck the cow and killed her.

He supposed he had removed all the cartridges from his pocket.

Light Flashes — Saloon Fight Between Two Young Bloods

San Antonio, 1897

Light Flashes

— A man fell in the ditch on Water street, near North street, yesterday. He had on a large jag and it was with difficulty that he was pulled out of the water.

— A fight took place in Scholz's saloon yesterday between two young bloods, in which one was floored by a blow over the eye.

— L. Martin was fined $25 by the recorder this morning. He was arrested by Officer Bourn on Main plaza last night. He had a quarrel with John Naylor and pulled a gun on him.

— A delivery wagon and its horses got into a sewer trench Saturday night, on San Pedro avenue and the horses were only rescued after hard work.

— A freight engine and switch engine collision occurred at the Southern Pacific depot this morning. Small damage.

— Nearly all the shooters who were here last week have gone home.

— Mr. C. B. Hice is organizing a new gun club to have grounds north of San Pedro park.

— Mr. P. P. McManus, the well known steel and wire man of this city, is rejoicing today over the safe arrival of a fine new boy in his family this morning.

—San Antonio Daily Light, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 1, 1897, page 4.

Engineer Dies Awful Death, Blood Drawn From Body

1907

EVERY DROP OF BLOOD DRAWN FROM HIS BODY

Engineer Dies Awful Death From Contact With Suction Pipe.

Chicago, May 11 — By having almost every drop of blood drawn from his body when his leg was caught in a suction pipe, Walter Hunter, an engineer employed by Armour & Company, was killed today while repairing the power plant.

The post mortem examination showed that Hunter's heart was shriveled up, his lungs were flat and empty and there was scarcely any trace of blood in the organs of the upper part of the body. Several of the arteries in Hunter's leg were broken by the suction.