The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-08-28
FATAL RUNAWAY ACCIDENT,
One Man Instantly Killed and An)ther
Badly Injured.
Four Other Adul's and Five Children Had
an Almost Miraculous Escape From
Death The Accident Happened on
the Rcal Leading From the
Cemeteries

s most distressing accident occurred short
ly tfterc eleven o.clucl, this morning ON the
m,untliu rUld leading from town to the
killed and four other adults and three chill
drcu barely escaped the same fate one man
of the party will be confined to his bed for
some time by the injuric, he sustained.
The accident was due to team Of horses
running away while descending the road.
The man killed was Joe Futda, Hungarian
residing in Mahanoy City. The injured man
is Edward Sockalosky. The latter was the
driver in charge Of the carriage.
Futda, his wife and three children, aged
respectively o, and I year, came to town
and attended the funeral of q friend. They
drove to the Hungarian cemetery in n
carriage hired from Bradgan Bros, who also
owned the horses. The journey to the cemetery
was made safely, hut on the return down the
mountain the horses became frctful sud
denly they made q dash down the mountain
side Tutda, the deceased, was seated in the
hos with the driver. Inside the closed car
riage Were three adults beside Mrs. Futda
and five small children When the horses
started Futda caught hold of the rens to
help the driver Edward Sockaloslly, in
trying to halt the team Both were un-
successful, and a farmers team ascending
the mountain caused the runaways to turn
towards thcembankment on the north side
of the road. At point about in line with
Catherine street the carriage struck a large
rock This caused the carriage to topple.
Futda was thrown headmost to the ground,
his head striking boulder with such force
as to crush in his skull and cause instant
death. Sockalosly, the driver, was thrown
from the seat at about the same time, but
struck the ground on his back. He was
rendered unconscious and remained so about
half an hour. The occupants Of the carriage
were thrown in a heap as the vehicle toppled
over, but none were injured. The horses
broke away from the carriage, but were
caught at the foot Of the road, uninjured.
The accident caused intense excitement
and people nocked up the steep road by hum
drcds to view the corpse and wrecked car
riage. As soon as arrangements could be
made the body was transferred to the lookup.
II was pitiful scene to see the widow and
her eldest child walking about the mangled
corpse of the husband and father both weep
ing violently. The child in the mothers
arms and the one at her side did not appre-
ciate the situation.
Upon arrival of the remains at the lookup
Deputy Coroner Thomas Manlcy impanelled
the following jury for an inquest: F. J.
Brennan, Patrick Conners, f. J. Flaherty,
Peter Dupeck, Harry Goodman and Thomas
Devine.
1t is considered remarkable that none of
the people who rode in the carriage were in
jured. The top of the vehicle was partly
ripped Off and it was badly damaged in other
respects.
Sockalosky, the driver, is at his home in
the hollow at the south end of White street
The lower part of his back and his right
shoulder are badly bruised and it is believed
he has sustained internal injuries, although
he is not thought to be dangerously hurt. He
says that had the farmers team not been met
the runaways could have been stopped with
out accident He is attended by Dr. D. J.
Langton.
Futda, the man killed, was a Hungarian, 81
years of age, lie was a miner by occupation
and from the appearance of his family must
have been a respectable and industrious man.
The body was sent to Mahanoy City this
afternoon.
The Coroner's jury rendered the following
verdict this afternoon; The said Joseph
Futda's death was the result of an accident
and driven by Edward Sockalosky, running
away and upsettng the carriage while de-
sending on the Ringtown hill"