Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-20
MANGLED IN THE STREET.
A DRIVER CRUSHED AGAINST a
LAMP-POST.

A Frightful Runaway Accident-JOhn
Downing Dragged Under Frantic
Horse and Fatally IDjured-RemOved
to the Infirmary and attended by Four
Physicians-Details of the Casualty.
About s O'Clock yesterday morning,
John Downing. while driving horse and
wagon belonging 20 John ]. Rely, stopped
on St. Julian street, east of the market,
and took the bride from the animal for
the purpose of having it repaired in W.
B. Nell & Co.'s saddlery establish
ment. Before he had an opportunity
TO substitute a halter the horse suddenly
Ieaped forward, and. turning in upon the
pavement, dashed of towards Congress
street. Downing. with the intention Of
arresting the animal. seized the collar of
the harness and the neck strap with one
hand, and the shaft Of the vehicle with
the other, but the horse being fright
ened dashed madly forward at full speed,
dragging the young man along close
to the wall of the building with the wagon
/ close behind him. 1t was dangerous to
let 90 his hold, and he chung on until turn
ing the corner of Barnard street, when the
animal wheeled across the pavement,
| tanning Downing against lamp post,
| cutting open the back Of his head and
right leg, and tearing the flesh on his
| face in a frightfnl manner. He was also
| cut in three places near the kidney, from
which blood poured in a stream.
The vehicle was upset on the south side
Of Congress street, in front of Lowell Il
/ LattimOre's store, where the horse was
| seized by a bystauder. 4 mum Der Of wit
nesses Of the accident at first thought
| Downing was killed. He was bleeding
| terribly. and on being lifted up he raised
A. rlf1 sesh 4
| complaining of pain in his legs, asked the
| bystanders TO pull on his limbs, fancying
| they were broken.
| He was placed in a wagon and taken to
/ DR.. T.. II. Nichols office, corner Of Aber-
| corn and South Broad streets, and from
/ there to the st. JOseph's Inhrmary. DR..
/ Nichols made a careful examination OF
| the wounds. The cut in the back of the
! head was about three inches in length
/ and penetrated to the skull. The two
| cuts on the face reached the cheek bone,
| while the cut on the right thigh was
| found to be deep. No bones were frac-
! tured. and the wounds were speedily
dressed. The three cuts in the back were
| at first deemed worthy Of little attention,
| and were examined last. Each Of them
looked as though it might have been
| caused by the end of a nail, or the points
| Of the horses shoe. The sufferer was
turned on that side, when a stream of
| blood poured out. The doctor
| made a closer examination and ascer-
| tanned that the pelvic bone was fractured
! in a frightful manner. That usually firm
| portion Of the body felt to the touch as
| though it had been mashed to a pulp.
| The doctor alleviated the pain of the un-
| fortunate man as much as was possible
! under the circumstances, and at IL
| O'Clock DIR. Read arrived at the
| infTmaTy, and after an examination
made a deep incisiOn across the face OF
! the pelvic bone, when it was discovered
that it was broken into many pieces.
About fifteen of the fragments were re-
| moved, one of them being about two
inches in length, and from an
inch to an inch and a half in width
He was assisted in the operation by
Drs. OliverOs, Charlton and Lincoln
| Up to midnight the sufferer was con-
scious, but was apparently bleeding
internally. He frequently drew a long
sigh, and yawned every now and then
| These symptoms were supposed to be lndI-
catiye OF a dangerous condition. The sur
| geOns were, however, divided in opinion
whether the wound was bleeding in.
ternallv or not. At all events, the in.
| luries were deemed fatal.
Downing is a fair cOmpleXioned
man about q years Of age and Of
medium height. He resided on Duffy
street, near Cuyler, and had a brother
in-law in the city by the same name
| He was supposed by many to have
| been the victim of the accident.