Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-08-22
Shocking Stage Accident.
-FOUR PERSONS KILLED.

hill, in Bethlehem. While descending
the hill, the pole straps broke, the horses
ran, and the coach loaded with passen-
gers, was overturned. j. II. ID. Keerl,
of Baltimore, was instantly killed, and
A. j. Butler, banker from Adrian,
Mich, died from his injuries in the af-
ternoon. Mr.. and Miss Reeves, of
Phenixville, Penn, were fatally injured,
Miss Reeves dying at four o'clock Tues
day morning, and some nine or ten 9th
ers were more or less injured, as follows
Chauncey G. Harrington, of Worces-
ter, Mass; Austin G. Fox and Miss Fox,
40 West Thirty-Third street, New York,
severely, and j. S. Fox. slightly; Miss
Emma Kennedy, of indianapolis, slight
ly; Mr.. Culberston and daughter of
Ironton, Ohio, slightly; Mrs. Lacroix,
Ironton, arm broken and slightly injur-
ed in the head. Two or three Others
were slightly hurt.
The stage was driven by Jerry john
son, one Of the best drivers in the noun
tain region, who was considerably iniur-
ed in one arm. The accident is unprec-
edented in the history of mountain trav-
ell by staging. The stage line was own
ed by Seth p. Ford.
Further particulars say there were 16
persons in and on the coach, and 10
were injured. 1t is reported that the
pole.strap did not break, but that the
worst part of the hill had been passed,
when the horses trotted over water
bar in the road, which threw the while
trees on the backs of one pair of horses,
and frightened them into run. In turn
ing corner in the road, the coach be-
ing top-heavy, went over, and threw
some Of the passengers many feet from
the road, and on to rocks.
A private letter from j. j. Crane to
Col. Boyd of Boston says:
The stage was overloaded, having 16
passengers in all, and heavily loaded
with baggage. The horses became un-
manageable, and in turning steep hill
overturned. l had the account from
Austin Fox, who has severe Commissions
about the head and deep cut in the
groin, which | saw when with him. He
is in good courage, and bears himself
manfully. Mrs. Fox is bruised about
her head and body, but is quite herself
in spirit, and / do not think much in
jured. did not see Miss Rebecca, but
she is seriously injured. She has con
fusion in the limb, near the knee, which
is bad cut. 1t seemed like something
of the size of your finger or larger
which penetrated the flesh for the deptf
, of five inches, bleeding very much. Sht
was thrown on pile of stones, and The
wonder is that she was not killed at once
Miss Reeves died at A A. NJ, and hel
brother is not expected to survive. A
young lad IA years of age, from Balti
3 more named Keerl, was killed instantly
, A Mr. Butler, from Adrian, Mich, sur
vived only short time. The acciden
: has caused widespread regret, and is tn,
> most serious one known for a long time
F, if ever before.
STATEMENT OF A PASSENGER.
, Thomas M. Keerl of Baltimore, ia
. ther of the young boy who was killed
states that his son was killed by the fall
ing upon his head of large Saratoga
; trunk, which crushed in the skull, caus.
ing death almost instantly. The lac
was just IA years of age, very bright
and of unusual promise. Mr.. Keer
: states that he, fearing the stage was
| overloaded with passengers and baggage
asked the hotel proprietor for a wagon
but that he refused, although there wert
six wagons with horses in his stable a
the time. His refusal was prompted by
r fear of the stage-coach proprietors, whl
] enjoy monopoly of travel on the Whit,
Mountains. The stage wds, he says, no
only overloaded with passengers, blu
: was also heavily laden with large Sara
$ toga trunks. The stage was runnin,
Y between Crawford's and the Profile house
in Franconia Notch. The regular roac
between those points is considered al
: most perfectly safe, but the driver il
this instance went two miles out of hi
> way in order to change horses at his owl
house. This road lies chiefly over
= dangerous hill, at the foot of which tn,
disastrous accident occurred. The driv
er is alleged to have been an unsafe one
and the horses certainly were not safe
When going down the hill the drive
: lost control of his horses, which trotte,
i down so rapidly that when they reache,
the foot of the hill, having to turn
very sharp corner overlooking bank
: the coach was tumbled over, and tn
if passengers were thrown into the gulIey
with the heavy trunks and luggage upo
: them. Mr. Keerl is confident that
: there had been no trunks or heavy lug
5 gage on the stage, very few of the pa
5, sengers would have been seriously hur
r The first postal card received ;
. Dubuque was from lady, and marke
- "Private."
d Mississippi has statute that pun
r. ishes and removes from office all officia
/. that are guilty of being drunk.