Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-11-18
Shocking Accident.

One of the most shocking and
startling accidents that has ever oc-
Cured in our village happened yes
terday afternoon, when Miss Bertha
A. Gates was thrown from her horse,
her foot catching in the stirrup,
dragged through our streets and
brought home dead. Her father was
a witness to the whole affair, and
followed in the horses wake unable
to rescue his daughter, yet fully re-
alizing her awful fate.
Miss Gates started out for ride
about 3 O'Clock in her usual buoyant
spirits and upon her fathers horse,
which she had ridden considerably
this summer. After ridding up and
down Summer street she came quite
near where her father was standing,
when a double team drove up behind
the animal. This seemed to startle
the horse and he jumped and SHE'D
little, and so suddenly that Miss
Gates slipped out of the saddle to the
ground. In falling her foot caught
in the stirrup, which was what is
commonly called the old-fashion-
ed stirrup in distinction from the
shoe stirrup. Some think that her
fall was caused by the saddle slip
ping, but it seems to be the prevalent
belief that the saddle did not slip.
Of course she fell directly under the
horse, and the animal becoming
frightened started up the street at a
rapid gait.
Mr.. Gates and a relative of the
family were standing by his house at
the time and saw the horse start
away At the very first he saw the
horse give his daughter severe kick.
A medical examination afterward
showed that she had received a Sc
we're blow directly over the heart. If
this did not cause instant death it
undoubtedly rendered her insensible
to further injuries. Mr.. Gates at
once started after the horse and fol-
lowed it through the front yards
of the houses on the west side of
Summer street and around Mt. Pleas
ant street aud down Spring street
to the residence of Charles S. Hast
ings, where the horse was stopped
by the workmen employed on w. L.
PEARLS new house. The lady's foot
was removed from the stirrup, and
the body, which had been almost
stripped of its clothing, tenderly
covered and taken to her home.
Besides the injuries over the heart
there were severe gashes on the top
of the head and on the thigh and
bruises on every part of the body.
Miss Bertha Gates was 21 years
old and the second daughter of Rev.
and Mrs. M. A. Gates. The family
have, with one interval, resided here
about dozen years and Mr.. Gates
has preached in many of the Congre-
gational pulpits in this vicinity. The
victim of this dreadful accident was
a lovely young. lady, beloved by all
who knew her and a devoted Chris
tian. She was brilliant scholar
and was fitting herself for life of
much usefulness. She graduated
from our academy in the class of 'S4:
taking the highest rank in the class.
She graduated at Wellesley college
last June with an excellent record
for scholarship. 1t was her plan to
complete her education abroad and
she was to have spent the coming
year at Berlin with her brother, Owen
H. Gates, who has been in Europe
for several months. The blow is a
crushing one to the bereaved family
and they have the heartfelt sympa-
thy of all. Seldom has this commu-
nifty been so shocked as at this sad
affair The time of the funeral is
not yet determined as it is hoped Mr..
Gates eldest daughter, Mrs. George
Ell. Gilbert of Chicago, may be able
to reach here tomorrow or next day.
-CaledOnidn.