St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-07-04
FATAL RUNAWAY ACCIDENT
STAMPEDE OF STAGES AT
OLD LANDING LAST
SATURDAY NIGHT,

AO AkAANDAANA 4&Ao
SATURDAY NIGHT,
Shortly after the arrival of the
steamer New Camelia at Old Land
ing. about half-past 8 o'clock last
Saturday night. the rival steamer,
the Grover Cleveland, came along,
and blew her whistle. which was
answered by the New Camelia, and
the passengers and crews of both
vessels commenced cheering. The
noise frightened the horses of the
stage drivers. and a terrible STAN
pede followed.
The drivers were engaged in Sc
curing passengers. and Mrs. Law
renee Conroy and her child, age d
ten months. had entered Mr.. Thos.
Cooks stage, and her mother, Mrs.
CoEroy, was in the act of getting
in, when the horses suddenly start :
ed off and went dashing up the
road, at full speed. Mr.. AdoIph
Frederick's team started about the
same time, running against Mr..
Cooks stage, and for an instant
both stages were locked, with the
elder Mrs. Conroy between. When
the stages suddenly parted, Mrs.
Conroy was violently knocked to
the ground and severely bruised
about the body. There were no
passengers in Frederick's stage.
Sid Daniels horse also started off,
but soon collided with pine tree,
and his carriage was demolished.
Mr.. Cooks stage containing the
younger Mrs. Conroy and her babe.
soon reached Covington, and
the cries of the lady attracted the
attention OF some gentlemen who
were standing at Mrs. Vogel's cor
ner, and they attempted to stop
the horses. when they turned to
one side and run against q post,
breaking the harness and freeing
themselves, when they continued
along the road. They lady handed
out her babe and quickly alightei,
when it was found that she was un-
injured. with the exception of a
slight bruise il the face, caused by
a blow from the front seat, which
bounced up and struck her. Mrs
Conroy. ST.. was brought up to
Covington in the family carriage
OF Mr.. Aucoin. and kindly cared
for at the residence oil Mrs. Fred.
erick. On Sunday evening she was
taken to the Labat House, nea,
Abita Springs, and DR.. E. R. Ran.
dolph, who is attending her, in.
forms us that she is rapidly recov.
ering from her injuries.
The saddest and only fatal CO.
tastrophe connected with the gen
eral stampede occurred near Old
Landing. Mr.. r. W. Rowlings
overseer at Mr.. Adam Thomson
Sulphur Springs Plantation, had
gone to the Landing, with Mrs
Frank De Gruy, to meet her hus.
band, a member of the well-known
firm of A. Thomson & Co. Mr..
De Gruy came off the boat and got
into the vehicle ia large two
wheeled road carriage,) and they
started away before the stages.
They had only proceeded a short
distance, however, when they
heard tho noise of the approaching
runaway teams. and Mr.. Rawlings
turned aside to let them pass. But
when they came up, his horse also
became frightened and started on
a gallop through the woods. Tue
carriage soon struck against a
tree, bresking off one wheel and
throwing Mr.. Rowlings head first
to the ground. against the roots Of
q tree. A few feet further, and the
carriage turned over and stopped.
Mr.. DeGruy made his way out, I'M
hurt, and extricated his wife, who
was very badly bruised. Going
back to where Mr.. Rowlings had
fallen. he found the young man
bleeding and insensible. He was
placed in Mr.. Plaunche's stage and