Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-06
SLEEPS WITH ONE EYE OPEN.
Story of An Accident Which An OF.
S,,r.,.,an MSt$naeead

tumwan Witnessed.
If the st. Joseph (Mo,) Gazette tells
the truth citizen of Ottumwa who
answers to the name of O'Neill saw the
shaft Of sulky penetrate the cheek of
j. w. Atkin, now liveryman at Den
ton, Kansas, and helped pull it from
Mr.. Atkins anatomy. The latter is
alive and owing to the nature of his
injury is compelled to sleep with one
eye open. The Missouri paper tells
the story this way:
For the past fifteen years J. w. At.
kin, a liveryman, of Denton, Kan, has
slept with one eve open, the result OF
one of the most peculiar accidents
that ever happened. He was in st.
Joseph a few days ago to substantiate
the circumstances surrounding the ac-
cident and to claim his share of a
$1,000 wager won by Judge O. M.
Spencer, general solicitor for the Bur-
lington route, from Treasurer Sam
Raymond of Cook county, Ill. The
wager was made during a recent visit
of the two gentlemen last mentioned
to Hot Springs, Ark. They were
swapping tales. Judge Spencer told
remarkable story Of one Atkin,
whose head was pierced by the shaft
of racing sulky on the st. Joseph
mile track September %, 1886, and
whose recovery was miraculous.
Atkin was then living on farm near
Denton. He came to this city to wit
ness the races. 1t was during the
first heat in trotting event when he
attempted to cross the track. Ben
Butler, driving Nellie B, ran into him.
The shaft Of the sulky struck Atkin
on the right cheek, entering half way
between the ear and the eye, just be-
meath the temple and piercing his
head. 1t came out at the left side d.
rectly behind the ear and protruded a
distance of seven inches. 1t broke
off where it entered and its total
length from there to the protruding
end was fourteen inches.
A man named O'Neill from ,Ottum-
wa, Ia, grabbed the end, and with the
| assistance of several others pulled the
shaft through Atkins head, expecting
him to breath his last at any moment
The plucky farmer never lost con,
seriousness during this excruciatingly
painful proceeding. The silver ferrule
on the broken end saved his life. But
for that the wood would have spin
tered and the jugular vein, which was
grazed, would have been severed.
See what I pulled out of your
\ head?" said O'Neill to the injured
man. holding up the bloody stick
you've only got a few minutes tc
live, have you a wife and family?"
Atkin gave directions as to his fam
lily. He was then taken to the city
hospital where he received medical at
tention. One doctor gave him two
hours of life, another seven, a thirG
twelve, and one optimistic physician
said he might possibly survive TWEEN
4 ty-four hours.
81 refused to die for any of them,
said Atkin in relating his story. &c
was cured and ready to go home II
eleven days and, although had trou
1 BILE for several years, have Away!
been able to attend to my duties.
} have family of nine children and an
. fairly prosperous"
Atkin cannot speak plainly, as hi
palate was injured when the shat
, pierced his head. This defect and tn
fact that he cannot shut both eyes a
one time are the only inconvenience
he feels. His jaws are trif1e out o
plumb and on the whole he Is not S
good looking as he once was. Atki
is a native of England and is fifty-fiv
. years of age. He is temperate in hi
habits and to this attributes the fac
that the peculiar injuries sustained i
1886 did not prove fatal.