Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-08-01

FoRr SMITH. ARKANsAs. July %. 1860.

Fohf oAiIh, AkhANsAs, 81 uI1 So iOVOs
DEAR SIR: An accident of a serious ma
ture having occurred on the Overland
Road. the particulars OF which will not
probably reach you by telegraph. / viii
state as near as can gather them from a
passenger who was on the Coach at the
time the unfortunate occurrence took
place.
The scene of the dis aster was about
seventy miles west Of this, near a station
known as Palsey's. The tine about 3
o'clock at night. At the station alluded
TO, the horses as usual, had been changed
Shortly after hi itching them up. on coming
to a descending aud rocky piece of road.
they began to show disposition TO run
away, aud in a short time il became evil
dent to the passengers, that the driver had
lost all control over them, and that they
were dashing down the rough and uneven
bed Of the road at the top of their speed
Of course, this created great alarm among
the passengers, of whom there were seven,
and one Of them, in the excitement of
the moment, drew his bowie knife and at
tempted TO cut his way out through the
curtains, in doing which his knife slip.
ped, striking fellow passenger in the
back, and making quite a severe. though
not dangerous wound. On, the frightened
horses dashed, in their mad speed, the
driver still retaining his seat aud keeping
them in the road. This, however, could
not last long, and before going mile, the
Coach was thrown against tree, stand
ing upon the side of the road, upset aud
badly damaged; the horses, by the force of
the shock and the rate Of speed, at which
they were going. becoming disconnected,
and continuing their course with only the
fore wheels.
Of the seven pass engers. only one
escaped without injury from the capsizing,
and strange to say. he the one that had re-
ceived the cut from the bowie knife and
who has since arrived here, and from
whom i learn these particulars. One, a
Mr. Mackey of Cassville No, had his skull
SO badly fractured that he lived only
few hours, the bones as my informant ex
presses it. sinking and grating beneath his
fingers as he pressed upon them to sscer-
tain the extent of his injuries, on raising
him from beneath the Coach, where be had
fallen. and had been caught by the upscting
vehicle Three others he thinks are quite
seriously. ifnot fatally hurt, while the
other two were able to walk at the time he
left the scene OF the disaster.
The driver, and conductor. man who
on this road always accompanies the dri
yer, aud whose business it is to take charge
of the Mail, Express matter &C., and assist
him when necessary in his duties as dri
yer were also both seriously hurt. The
latter perhaps, fatally. The former was
dragged, having wrapped the lines around
his wrists and hands when he found his
team was ruuiDg off, near two hundred
yards, and yet strange Is il may seem, had,
although severely bruised, no bones bro
ken. Fortunately the accident occurred
near the station, where every attention was
shown the wounded that the place affor-
ded, and a messenger was immediately dis |
patched to this place, the nearest where
one could be procured. for Physician
As soon as the news reached here, the com
pany sent an extra for the sufferers with /
two Physicians to minister to their neces-
stiles. As / am looking for their return
every moment, will pause 10 this recital
until I can learn further and more partic.
ulars
July 3.
The Coach did not return yesterday, as
I expected when stopped writing. but has
Just arrived. bringing all of the passen-
gers, except the man killed at the time Of
The accident. The poor fellow, lies bu
ried far from his home and family, at the
place where he received his fatal wound.
All Of the others are getting along fine
", and none Of them will die, nor are they
20 seriously injured as was at fret sup
posed. no bones being broken. aud all Of
hem being able to walk without any sc
risus Inconvenience, though the most of
hem present the appearance Of having
been at the tallest kiLd Of . free 6Rht.
j.