Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-24
Dreadful Death OfThree Ladies' in
N IL L - &Kllner.lnnd. III j

% We have received the following particu-
lars of the late fatal accident to three Eng
lish ladies in Switzerland from a cores
pondent:
The last tourist season in Switzerlahd
closed with heavy list of Inflated but in
trepid travellers. This season opens no
less ominously. The daring moutaineers
last year were the sufferers; this year the
first victims have been ladies. Already
three ladies have lost their lives in Switz-
ferland, on the road between Ragatz and
the baths of Pfeffers. This road Is about
two miles in length, and follows the course
OF the Tamna river through one of the
grandest aud most remarkable gorges In
Switzerland. 1t rises from fifteen to thirty
five feet above the bed of the river, which
it often overhangs, and is in most places
unprotected by wall or barrier. The Tam
iBa is wildly rushing, turbulent river,
varying from three to five feet In depth
On the Sd OF July three ladies, unaccompa-
MED by gentleman, arrived at Ragatz by
train about 2 z. NJ They were +: Mrs.
Delffs, wife of Professor Delffs, of Heidel-
burg University; Miss Hollywood, OF Bath
Lodge, Ballycastle, Ireland, and her nice e,
Miss Walker, of the same place.
They went at once to the Hotel Ragatz,
whore they dined, and then ordered care
riage to take them to the baths of Pfeffers.'
ul6 was Il Out-uDTst N6Ulclt, DTONlu6u
the proprietor of the hotel, and driven by a
man called Mogg, who is said to have had
several years experience as driver on this
road, They reached the baths in safety,
were shown all the curiosities of the place,
and started on the return journey a little
before o'clock. They had got about a
quarter of mile on their way back, when
their pleasure trip came to its fatal termina-
,tion. They were going at a trot down IAN
incline where the road is quite unprotected
on the river side, when the horse (though |
an old one). seeming to have taken fright
unaccOuntably at something, made sud-
den turn toward the precipice. The driver
half leaped and was nalf throwD from the
box on the road, aud when he recovered
himself he was Mortified to find that the
horse, carriage and its occupants had been
precipitated into the Tamina, a fall ofIl
thirty feet. The river was swollen at the
time to the depth of four or five feet, and
flowed so rapidly that at this spot. the
strongest man could scarcely keep his legs;
SO the unfortunate ladies were carried of
in the resistless current, and were never
afterward seen alive. There were few
witnesses of the melancholy occurrence
A carriage, in which sat one English lady,
at the distance of about fifty
yards. The coachman of this seems (Iike
the driver of the unfortunate ladies) 10
have been so overcome by terror as to be
unable to render any assistance. Indeed,
he says he did not see the ladies after the
fall, but only heard their cries. He drove
forward to Ragatz for help, which came,
but TOO late. Miss Hollywood's body was
first recovered, three-quarters of an hour
after the accident, three hundred yards be-
low the spot, but life was extinct. Mrs.
Delfls was found two days later lower
down, but Miss Walkers corps still re-
mains unbound, though every effort has
been used and a large reward offered for
its recovery. Mrs. Delffs aud Miss Holly
wood were buried side by side in Ragatz
on Saturday, the 9TH Of July. The crowd
around the graves seemed moved by feel
ings deeper than mere curiosity, and the
resident magistrate and the inhabitants of
Ragatz generally have shown every con-
sideration and sympathy ia their efforts to
recover the bodies, and attentions to rela-
tives of the deceased, who have since ar
rived. 1t would be well, however, if they
would take prompt measures to remedy
the unguarded state of the road Pal