Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-05-18
SHOCKING RUNAWAY AOOI-
DENT.
One Woman Killed and Four
Badly Injured.

All Were Connected with the North
field, Mass, Seminary---the Fearfu
Dash Down Prospect IIill and tn
Dreadful Ending---the Injuries of tn
Four Survivors.
The most shocking runaway accident il
the history of Brattleboro occurred Monda
afternoon about 2:2O, resulting in the in
slant death of one young woman and tn
serious injury of her four companions.
The Members of the Party.
All of the party were connected with tn
seminary at Mortified, Mass. They wer
Miss Mariana w. Blood, rs, of Auburn
dale, Mass, teacher of physiology, zo6log
and history; Miss Clara NJ. Burt, %, o
Plainiield, y. j., teacher of natural sci
ences; Miss Mary f. Wardwell, %, of Ber
lin, y. H., teacher of English and geometry
Miss Martha Blood, 10, of Auburndale
Mass, matron in charge of East Hall; Mis-
Annie McNeilly, 2S, of Mortified, a trane,
nurse.
They left Mortified at $3.50 with a two
seated carriage drawn by a span of chest
nut horses. The team is owned by Livery
man Caldwell of Mortified and has beer
seen in Brattleboro almost every weel
during the spring.
The young women brought their lunch
planning for an outing in connection Will
their shopping trip. They ate their lunch
at the cascade, mile and a-half south OF
this village, near the Hunt farm, and a
happier company would be hard to find.
While on their way, or while the team
was hitched at the cascade, the stout
leather hold-back, attached to the middle
of the neck-yoke, and slipping on over the
end of the pole, had become torn. One of
the women took the rope halter in the car
riage and used it in place of the hod-back.
Benjamin Davis, who works at the Hunt
farm, was passing the cascade when one of
the young ladies stopped him and asked
him to adjust the rope which the women
had already put on. After adjusting the
rope as well as possible, Mr.. Davis saws
that he told the women very positively that
the team ought not to drive down a hill
with the patched-up harness, repeating his
warning several times.
How the Accident Occurred.
After passing the cemetery they started
down Prospect Hill into the village at a
oApN ol''A' W AlNll lllt Ndltl Ddl lltdI TIE
stairs leading to Prospect street was reached
the rope slipped back upon the pole, let
ting the carriage forward upon the horses.
The atfrighted animals jumped forward
and dashed down the hill at breakneck
speed.
\ few persons heard the unusual noise
and saw the team fly past with its fright
ened occupants. Among them was +. A.
Fraser, who was at work painting at VIM.
5. Newton's house. Miss Mariana Blood,
who was driving, stood up and attempted
to control the horses. 1t is probable that
only one of the women was on the seat
with her, three being on the rear seat
Mr.. Fraser ran out into the road and at
tempted to stop the horses. He threw up
his hands, waved his hat and shouted, but
he could not getn front of the horses bysev-
eral feet At the Brooks house, Just below
the Newman homestead the team curved
so far to the right that the forward wheels
probably struck the slate-stone walk across
the gutter, and the carriage was completely
overturned, the wheels being uppermost
The occupants were thrown with great
violence.
Mr.. Fraser, Mr.. Haywood aud others
rushed forward into the cloud of dust to
assist the women. Unable to see, so dense
was the dust, Mr.. Fraser stumbled over
a body. He quickly raised it and carried
it into the yard in front of the house. The
woman proved to be Miss Wardwell She
was lying partially in the gutter. Mr..
Fraser next saw mass, which bore little
resemblance to human beings, lying against
the grating over the culvert He lifted
from the pile one woman and carried her
into the yard. This was Miss McNeilly.
When Fraser turned again he was horri-
fled to see that he had raised Miss McNeilly
from the PROSTATE form of another woman,
whose head was crushed. This was Miss
Mariana Blood. Her head was resting on
the iron grating where it had struck, her
clothes were badly torn and she was covered
with dirt, while the blood flowed profusely
from her wounds. Her death had been
almost instantaneous, but as Mr.. Fraser
lifted her she gave two slight, convulsive
gasps. In the meantime Mr.. Haywood
had assisted Miss Burt. who was in the
road leading to Reed hill, as well as Miss
Martha Blood, who was under the carriage.
The statements of those who were on
the ground Immediately after the carriage
overturned vary considerably, but those OF
Mr.. Fraser and Mr.. Haywood, the first to
arrive are identical.
Mr.. Vickers and Charles Rice, painters
employed by j. C. Chandler, who were al
work upon VIM. S. NewtOn's house, and
Ed. Moore, employed by NJ. Bowler, were
at the head of the horses and soon had
them under control. When the carriage
was overturned the horses were thrown
but one of them rose instantly.
Herbert Burnham, who was at work pa
per-hanging in the house below the one in
front of which the carriage was wrecked wa:
on the scene promptly, and after assisting
in raising the carriage ran down the street
In front of the Milestone building he met
John Wright with horse and carriage. Mr.
Wright, on being told of the accident, drove
quickly up the street for physicians. AL
fred Thompson, son of Henry Thompson
was in front of Mr.. Bowler's house a few
rods below the scene of the accident wheI
it occurred. After assisting in moving on,
of the women he ran to Main street anC
summoned DR.. Ketchum, who was tn