The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-15
DROWNING OF A HORSE
SOME SAY 1T COMMITTED SUICIDE
RATHER THAN OBEY.
Baked in Fall Creek and Was I'm
> mercffu1Iy Whfpped-Fell Down
and Drowned.

Persons who crossed the Meridian-street
bridge at Fall creek yesterday shortly be-
fore noon had an opportunity to witness
man struggling with balky horse in the
waters of the creek, and had they waited,
as many did, they would have seen the
horse lie down and drown himself rather
than move from the stand which he had
taken. The name of the owner of
the horse was not learned, but the ami
NAL which he drove to buggy, was a
small raw-boned Western horse. The man
drove the animal into about three feet OF
water, and then allowed him to drink. 1t
was not IL o'clock when he entered the
creek, at the driye east of the bridge but it
was nearly 1890 when the lifeless body of
the animal was pulled from the stream.
After the horse had finished drinking the
man pulled the reins and spoke to him to go
on. The horse shook his head and refused
to move a step. The driver coaxed and
patted the back of his horse, but all in vain.
He twisted the horses tail, but that failed
to move him. He threw water on him, hat
the animals determination could not be
changed for minute. Persons crossing the
bridge stopped to see the man working with
the stubborn animal. The crowd hurled
much advice to the man in the buggy,
which, of course, he did not relish. for with
three. 1eeC OF emily water ABOUT HlIil the du-
vice given him was worthless.
Twist his ear cried one man.
PUT mud in his mouth" shouted another.
Lead him OUT said third The driver
kept his temper wonderfully WE'LL and plead
ed and worked with his horse, trying to get
him to forget his grievances, but the horse
seemed to realize that he had his owner in
plight and seemed determined TO keep him
there. The man worked for more than an
hour. He tried the whip but the horse only
shook his head. The man had to use some
care. for there was danger of being upset
more .ne reeIv and de he vas soon beating the
animal with much the same vigor that a
man beats a carpet, but still the horse only
shook his head. AT last the animal tired OF
the whipping and began to kick and plunge.
The fifty or more persons on the bridge
ed some ' thought o. h the horse fell down in
the water while others say he simply lay
down. Anyway, he managed to get down.
and of course his head was under water.
The man In the buggy forgot the tempera-
ture of the water and plunged into II waist
deep. He seized the horses head and held
it above the water and looked about for
some means of rescuing the horse from the
tangle of harness and shafts. A woman on
the bridge created good deal OF excite
ment at this point by threatening to go to
the mans assistance il no man would vol
unteer. She slammed the crowd, and said it
was composed of towards.
At last wheelman rushed down the bank
and waded out to where the man and horse
were. He held the horses head while the
owner backed the buggy and loosened the
harness. The horse did not jump up as ex-
peCleQ, Out TefIlditeu lying III TIE water.
The wheeman and the owned dragged the
animal to the bank and endeavored to re-
store life, but the horse had evidently
drowned while the owner was getting from
the buggy, and while the buggy and har-
ness was being unfastened. The crowd
helped to drag. the dead animal high up on
the bank. The owner returned to the
stream and brought the buggy and harness
forth and then started toward the city. He
later returned for his buggy. but the body
of the horse lay on the bank all of yester-
day afternoon Like true Western horse.
he died rather than surrender.