Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-04
Singular Accident,

A Collfsfon on ChapeI Istreet-Ex-senntor
 Bowers Carriage Overturned = Held
 Fast Under It by a Hook I'm His Hand.
 Just before noon yesterday ex-State Sena- tor C. B. Bowers was driving up Chapel street, having just started from his office, | going homeward When in front of the | Young Mems Institute building runaway | team dashed into his team, overturning both l buggy and horse. Somebody ran and held 1 the horse or it might have been worse. The accident created great commotion, and crowd of people was gathered in moment MT. Bowers was pinned down under the car riage and unable to get away. Several per sons tried to right the buggy, when it was discovered that Mir. Bowers was the victim of singular and painful injury, his left hand being held by an iron hook used to hang the reins upon, the hook having been driven clear through the feshy part of the hand, passing nearly out at the back, between the second and third knuckle joints. Worse than that, the hook in the smash-up had be- come jammed together so that there was no
 releasing MT. Bowers until a carpenter
 could be obtained to saw the hook loose. He
 was prisoner and in great pain. Great care
 
 Bowers as comfortable as possible. The
 horse was detached and taken to Kimberly's
 stable It was uninjured. A carpenter was
 at last obtained, the moments of waiting
 seeming terribly long, and 8 part of the wooden carriage bow, in which the hook was fastened, was sawed out, and MT. Bowers was released with the hook in his hand. He was assisted into Dr. Klock's drug store by Dr. James E. Stetson, and, after deciding to postpone the removal of the hook till his ar rival home, he was driven to his residence by Drs J. P. c. Foster and Stetson, where the hook was removed The Senator bore the pain with pluck and cheerfulness. The accident was quite topic of the day throughout the city, and the Senator had numberless expressions of regard and sympathy. The carriage was found to be badly crushed and damaged, but can be put into good order again. The run away team was owned by Anton Basssrman, butcher, Mo- s9 Grand street, and was in charge of his son when it started. He was not in it. The team was stopped near Temple street by colored man from the New Haven House. The wagon, which had top, was but little damaged. Several other teams on Chapel street had a narrow escape from being struck by the runaway wagon
 The Oldest Mason Question.
 During the recent vacation of W. Wallace Lee of Meriden from which he has just re- ! turned he investigated the ''oldest Mason" question as regards Connecticut Masons, and is convinced that Wait Garrette, of New Hart ford is the oldest Mason in this State. He | was made Mason in Rising Sun Lodge, of 1 Otis, Mass, July Sth, 1910, and was conse- quently Il years Mason on the 8th of July ! last. He is now a member of Village Lodge No. 29, of Collinsville. Judge Garrette was l 92 years old June 29th last, and while there
 may be older men who are Masons there are ! none who have been longer in the Masonic order For instance, Captain Ford, of Vest
 ville,i is 95 years of age, three years older than Judge Garrette, but Captain Ford was not
 made Mason until 1911, or one year later ! than Judge Garrette. Notwithstanding
 Mir. Garrette's advanced age, he suffers only
 from rheumatism, which prevents him from walking; his mental faculties are clear, and his memory surprisingly retentive. He served in the Legislature in 1864, being then 75 years of age, representing New Hartford. He has an honorable record, being one of the old guard of anti-slavery men, who
 stood Loyalty by their convictions at a time when Eeir principles were unpopular and it cost considerable to maintain them. He had record for patriotism that any man
 might wen be proud of He is of Huguenot stock His grandfather served in the old
 French and Indian war, and was killed in the
 massacre of Wyoming his father served in S11Ir | served in the war of 1872, and his son, John B. Garrette, served in the last war of the re-
 bellion, and he has son who, although yet a boy, will be ready to take a hand in a war for the Union should he be ever called upon. We have given here history of the oldest Mason in Connecticut that can, we believe,
 be relied upon as accurate-MerSden RepL6- | HcGn