Gilpin observer., 1902-06-12
FATAL RUNAWAY ACCIDENT.
West Denver High School Graduates
Hurled Among the Rocks.

/
Hurled Among the Rocks.
| Denver. June GA hay rack contain
ing eleven couples, all members of the
graduating class of West Denver High
School, driven by Frank French,
dashed down a precipice ON the Tur-
key Creek road two miles southwest of
Morrison at 7:3O o'clock Saturday
night. Edith Withers sustained frac-
tured skull and died within a short
time. Miss Maize Pumphrey had her
skull fractured and died last night.
Eighteen others We're more or less
seriously injured, some of whom may
prove to be disabled for long time,
If not for life, but it is believed that
there will be no further fatalities.
The party, consisting of eighteen cou-
Piles in two hay racks, started to return
to Morrison about 7:3O o'clock. The
first team, containing seven couples
and driver, were some fifty yards in
front of the second team. The Inflated
conveyance was drawn By four horses
and driven by Frank French. The
leaders had behaved badly from the
time they started out at o'clock in
the morning. Several times they had
baked and on starting the descent Of
the canon it had become necessary to
unhltch the leaders and proceed with
the two wheel horses. Afterward they
showed signs of quieting and were
again placed in front.
As they approached a bridge over
creek at particularly steep incline
the horses became unmanageable and
started to run. Frank French, the
driver, was seated ON a bale of hay
The wagon, striking an obstruction,
caused the hay to shoot forward from
Under him, throwing French under
meath the body of the wagon. The
horses, feeling the load on their fanks,
made sudden turn and the body of
the wagon flew off the trucks.
This happened just as the rustic
bridge had been reached. The body
of the wagon containing it's load of hu-
manity turned completely over and fell
a distance of twelve feet beneath.
The few who were uninjured and the
occupants of the other wagon immedi-
ately began the work of rescue, many
of the injured being stunned and in
sensible
Messengers We're dispatched to Nor
rison, two miles away. for help. and
Drs. f. l.. Luce and II. G. Haxby re-
turned with conveyances. The injured
school children We're taken to the Cliff
house, which was transformed into a
temporary hospital
Telephone messages were promptly
sent to Denver ana by about II D. m. a
special train was made up and started
for Morrison carrying physicians, sur
gical appliances and stretchers. On
the arrival of the train at Denver it
was met by ambulances which con-
veyed those badly injured to their
homes.
Those injured besides Misses Withers
and Pumphrey We're:
Harry Austin. spine injured.
Ruby Sill. bad scalp wound that may
AFFECT eyeSight.
Claude Hannum, badly bruised on
ribs, left side.
Grace Murray. bad scalp wound,
bruised and back hurt
George w. Smith, badly bruised and
suffering from shock. deliriOus.
Pauline Perry. badly cut on head
Miss Esther Smith. chaperone. badly
bruised and suffering from shock.
Irene Wheelock. shoulder dislocated
Harry Goodheart. scalp wound.
Marvin kleff, compound fracture of
the arm.
Luella Corbin. left wrist fractured.
Alice Barton, scalp wound and
bruises.
Laura Kilgore left arm sprained.
Miss Bessie Quay. Wellsburg. w.
Va. visiting Miss Ililgore, face
scratched. badly bruised.
Jean Raber fractured wrist.
Frank Kerr, neck sprained and
bruised.
Joseph Garst, leg cut and bruised
about the head
Fred Burr, sprains and bruises.
Fred Lawrence. captain of the West
Denver High School Cadets. was in
the accident but escaped uninjured and
was of invaluable service in caring for
the wounded, securing a special train
and otherwise caring for the party.