Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-03-17
UNDER HO0FS.
Abel Martel. Aged Ga, Badly In
jured by His Horse.
Animal Alarmed by Approaching Train
and Mr.. Martel Tried to Coax 1t
With III Success.

webster, March 16.--Abel Martel, aged
Ga years, figured in one of the most Sc
rious runaway accidents that ever &C.
Cured ins Webster. AS result of the
unmanageable animal, Mr.. Martel now
lies at his home on Fifth avenue in a
very precarious condition. The acct
dent happened last evening.
Mr.. Martel, whois a teamster, was en-
gagged at the freight department of the
Boston and Albany Railroad, unloading
his wogan, when he noticed and heard
the approach of a train. Knowing that
his horse was afraid of the cars, he
stopped operations and stepping to the
horses head, took the animal by the
bride, intending to hold him if he be-
CAME frightened by the approaching
train.
Although Mr. Martel petted and patted
thee spirited animal on the neck, still his
codxing did not have the desired effect,
for. the moment the train rounded the
ctff-tSs just above the station, the horse
being suddenly startled by the shrill
whistle Of the engine, commenced jump
ing aI1und and soon Nfartel was under
the ahprse's hoofs, and was terribly
traInP1Sd upon.
-As1soon as the horse realized that he
was flee, he started off on a dead run
down Oxford avenue towards Webster
IuckiAlnthe wheels did not pass over
MartelJHs he lay in under the horses
hoofs; for it they had, probably what
little lifeais left in him would have been
crushed out. However the hoofs of the
terrified horse did more than sufficient
executionnc
The noise of the stampede and
Martels pfteous cries soon brought as
slstance;. and he was tenderly picked up
and carried into the freight office>in the
building, and DIR. J. o. Genereux sent
for. The physician, upon arriving at the
scene, saw instantly that home was the
pest place for. the sufferer, and the in
Jured man was Immediately convened
there in the doctors carriage, where his
wounds were dressed
The physician, upon examining the
patient, found a scalp wound nearly
three inches in length, which required
several stitches to close, a fracture of
neck of the left thigh bone, and the two
last fingers of the right hand severely
lacerated. The patient was placed un-
der ehloroform, and his injuries were
dressed.
The horse was captured at the corner
of Main and Pleasant streets in a plucky
manner by jerry Healy, who ran
alongside of the plunging animal until
a good chance presented itself when
Jerry5s grabbed the horse by the bfi-
Ole. ana hung on until he succeeded in
pulling the animal down on to its
haunches The horse was not Injured.
and the damage to the vehicle is slight.
ME-. Martel, on account of his old age.
WILDE confined to the bed and house
Iof several months to come, as the
wounds will be slow in healing.
WATER COMMISSIONERS VExED.
The board OF. water commissioners are
somewhat vexed relative to the stand
that the board of selectmen adopted at
their lest meeting, held on Monday. AT
that meeting 1t was agitated that the
water men" were not elected legiti-
mately; it being the custom now to
nominate and elect one commissioner
each year, and his term to extend dur
ing the period of three consecutive
years, dating from the time of his cleo
ton
The selectmen stated that in accord
aneeSwith law, instead of one being
elected each year, three should be
chosen by ballot instead of only one
Superintendent Michael Schofield of
the water works met the local Spy man
last evening, and wanted to know what
1T all meant. The reporter explained the
situation to him, stating the facts as
they We're discussed before him at the
SeleClHleu meeting. But Mr.. SchOfeld
was determined that the selectmen were
in the wrong; and accordingly invited
the reporter to his cosy headquarters,
where he said that he would produce
facts that would conclusively show that
the selectmen were in the wrong
Upon arriving at the office, Mr.. Scho-
field consulted his closet, and extracted
from i the first annual report of the
board of water commissioners. The re-
port was printed in 1896
Just to show you that the selectmen
are off their trolley said the accommo-
dating superintendent, 81 will read you
section 2, chapter 1855, issued under an
act of the legislature, and approved
March 30, 1898" He read the following:
''The said town shall, after it's accept
ance Of this act, at a legal meeting cal
led for the purpose, elect by ballot three
persons to thold Office, one until the ex-
piration of three years, one until the ex-
plratfon of1tWo. years. and one until the
expiration of one year from the next
succeeding town meeting, to constitute
a board of water commissioners; and at
each annual town meeting thereafter
one such commissioner shall be elected
by ballot for the term of three years.
At this point Mr. Schofield stopped
reading and earnestly sorutinized the
reporter, trying to ascertain if he was
making any impression on him, but as
the newspaper man was in deep perplex-
ity Mr., Schofield did not speak, and con-
tinued reading:
''All the authority granted to the said