The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-11-29
STRUCK BY A TRAIN.
THREE LIVES LOST On THE SOUTHWEST
PENN R. R.

UNIoNTowS, Pa, Nov. % Two
very distressing accidents occurred
near here to-day. The first was on
the Southwest Railroad, at Percy
station, six miles north OF tm"n-
town. As the Greensburg accom-
modation was nearing the station
coming south, IA wagon drawn by
two mules and containing a load uf
! -four and three men was approach
ing the crossing. The train was not
intending to stop, as there was no
exchange Of passengers, and hence
it was moving at rapid rate. The
engineer saw the wagon and lmme-
diately whistled and reversed brakes,
but the interval was too short and
before the team could clear. the
track the train ran into it with ter
rife results. The mules were ju~t
off the the track aud escaped the
collision unhurt, but the wagon 0as
/ demolished and the three occupants
met with a sad late. Wm. Fields,
aged about 40, and his son james,
aged II. were knocked 10 the ground
and rendered iEsensible, from which
lcondition they have not yet rallied
this evening. Their injuries are in
ternal. and il is hard 10 tell now Sc
ri0us they are, bu: ii is thought
+ they cannot possibly recover. Isaac
/ Dean. the other occupant, had a
still more horrible experience.
When the wagon was struck he WAS
: by some means knocked a consider
able distance up into the air and as
he came down his face was brought
into contact with Il rod attached To
the boiler of the engine his rod
entered his chin and penetrated the
jaw. and the poor man hung sus-
pended in this wav until the train
had stopped and he was pulled
loose from his excruciating situa-
tion nv the united efforts "f several
nen Some of his teeth aui pnr-
Ii ,ns of hi- irw bone wer' tlrn "ut.
Iii frc, pr, >e til -icks,Ing 80
tacie.
The three victims were brought
here and Drs. Ewing aud Sturgeon
ministered to their sufftrings until
3 O'Clock this afternoon, when they
were taken back to Percy Their
condition did not materially change
during the day. The father and son
have scarcely any pulse and their
death is looked for Il: any time
Deans case is not regarded is so
hopeless.
There is some diversity in the &c
counts given as IN how the accident
came about. Some say the driver
buried to get over the track before
the train would reach them, while it
is ALLEGED by others that the team
had already passed over, but that
Just after it crossed, the mules he
came stubborn and began to back.
thus running the wagon back again
on the track. In any event the
question is asked why the men did
not Jump from the wagon. 4 cor
rect account of the affair Is hard TO
get.
Another accident occurred on the
Cutler farm In Menalen township
this morning. Two Young men, Hi
ram Hutchinson and Thomas Leon
ard. were out hunting. when Hutch
ison shot at rabbit BY some
means the second barrel of his gun
was discharged and the content
emptied in ;he person of his young
companion. The shot struck him
about the face and neck, and dan
gerously if not fatally wounding
him. 1t is feared that one of the
shot took effect in the windpipe The
bows face and neck ere fearfully
swollen and his condition i critical
LATER
UNIoNTowN. November 26.-Wil- /
liam Fields never rallied from the
unconscious state into which he was
thrown by the injuries received at
Percy Yesterday. He fingered until
ten O'Clock last night, when he died
His son still lies insensible. Dean
has been worse to-day. being out of
his mind and raving wildly. A re-
port is current here that he died
this afternoon. but it lacks conirma
ton.