The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-01-19
Further Particulars Of the Accident to
Gen. Pierce and family.

We gather from the New York papers
some additional particulars Of the railroad
accident by which Gen. Pierce and wife
were injured and their son killed:
The train was composed of baggage
and passenger car only. The exact cause
OF the accident is not definitely ascertain
ed; one Of the axle trees is supposed to
have broken; some say it was the journal
on which the wheel plays. The day was
very cold-thc thermometer pointed at
zero-and the accident was doubtless ow-
ing to :hc frost in the iron works Of the
i'll latcd car.
Mrs. Fierce and the deceased son had
been absent four weeks on Il visit to rcla-
tives in Boston and -indover. The acci-
dent happened near the latter place.
Gen. Pierce went to Boston on Tuesday
morning, and with them attended the fu-
neral of Mrs. Pierce's uncle, Hon. Amos
Lawrence, on the same afternoon. They
remained at Mr.. Aiken's, in Andover,
whose lady is n sister of Mrs. Pierce, and
were expecting to return in the evening.
The train in which they went left Bos-
ton at noon on Thursday, and the acci-
dent happened just after it left the An
dover depot, twenty miles from Boston ut
about one. They had not been in the
cars five minutes.
Gen. Pierce, after the accident appear
cd composed, but Mrs. Pierce was taken
away in very high state of mental an
gnish. Her screams were agonizing.-
The little boy was their only child, an
eldest brother having died some ten years
ago.
At the time Of the accident, General
Pierce was conversing with Mr.. Young,
the superintendent Of the new Mills at
Lawrence Professor Packard, a relative
Of Gen. Pierce, was in company with Mrs.
Pierce and her son, and the party occupied
the forward part OF the car, which was
divided in the middle. They were all
thrown into a heap, one over another
Master Pierce lay upon the floor Of the
car, with his skull frightfully fractured.-
The cap which he had worn had fallen of,
and was filled with his blood and brains.
A little girl Of Mr.. Newall, of Hills
borough, had her foot crushed, and it
must be amputated. Mrs. Newall was
badly injured, and Mr.. Newall had leg
broken. Mr.. Horace Childs, bridge build
er, Of Henniker, was badly but not serious
iy bruised. Several women wcfe seyerIy
bruised.
The car is said TO have broken near tho
middle. The baggage car in front was
not thrown off. A brakeman stood on
the end Of it and witnessed the accident
unharmed.
A despatch, dated Concord, Thursday
evening, says:
Considerable apprehension is felt here
lest this melancholy fatality may prove
serious in its consequences Of Mrs. Pierce.
She has been for several years in delicate
health, caused partly by the loss Of her
first child. The boy killed b. this acci-
dent was almost idolized by his mother
and father.
The announcement Of the accident, at
= o'clock, caused great excitement in the
House. A member came in and said that
Gen. Pierce himself was dead. The floor
and galleries were crowded--the charge
Of bribery against Judge Butler being un-
der consideration. The Governor, Coun-
Gil, and most Of the Senators were Pre-,
sent. Instantly every member was on his
feet, and exclamations Of regret were heard
from every one.
The veteran Ichabod Bartlett, of Ports
mouth, the Oldest member--a political OPP
ponent, but strong personalfriend Of Gen.
Pierce--was observed TO weep like child.
Others were much affected,