The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-10-19
A SHOCKING ACCIDENT.
Deisar and Monaghan Hose Wagons Col
Tide on Liberty Street---Barney, One
of Monaghan's Horses: Had Both
Front Legs Broken.
From the Daily Item. Oct. a.


The two fire companies had just re-
turned from responding to a false
alarm, and had hardly gotten back in
| to their respective houses. when
second alarm was sent in. Both teams
| we're hitched up with great dispatch,
| and came out of their houses, the Del
gars going west and the Monaghans in
the opposite direction on Liberty
Street. No electric lights we're burn
| ing, and the streets were in such dark
ness that it was almost impossible to
recognize passersby on the side walks.
The two teams, neither having the re-
motest idea that the other was in such
close proximity, came dashing to-
wards each other; and the wonderful
alertness of Rivers, the Delgar's driv-
er, in polling his team to one side
alone prevented the horses from meet
ing breast,to breast between the cor
ner of Main street and the Post Office.
The front wheel Of No. 3 wagon hit
Barney, one of Monaghsn's big bays on
| the chest and broke both of his front
| lgS. The beautiful horse went down
| to the ground without a groan, and
just after that a very touching Incl
| dent took place. The two borses were
rapidly unhitched, and while mem
bers Of the team were leading Billy
off, Barney, even in his terrible con-
dition, endeavored to follow his
brother, from whom he had never been
separated. Chloroform was admins
tered to the suffering animal to allevi-
ate his pain, and while under the in
| huence of the drug, Chief Bradford
| put and end to his usefulness in this
wcrld by firing a bullet through mis-
head.
The following statements have been
made concerning the accident.
| The Statement of Franklin Ander-
son Monaghan Hose Company's dri-
yer:
When the alarm came in, we hitch
ed up and got out of the house as soon
as possible. I took the left hand side
Of the road, could see nothing of No.
3. there was no light on the corner.
We came together very unexpectedly:
No. l3's front wheel hit Barney in the
cnest and on front legs; the horse
went to the ground, was very quiet
We unhitched, and found out what
damage there was The condition of
the horse was discovered, the frame
part of the wagon was bent and bro
ken in sevreal places.
Rivers, the Delgar driver said: The
alarm was given in by central; said
fire was on South Washington street !;
recognized Anderson's voice at the |
phone, and was not looking for him !!
to come in my direction. I took the |
center of the street; saw Anderson |
leave the house but it was so dark |
that could not tell in what direction
he was going. When I saw him, I |
pulled to the right; LIE went diagon-
ally across the street, which threw me
on the left. [ tried to void the col
lision, and just did get my horses
sufficiently to one side to prevent No.
2, from hitting them. One singletree,
two front tires, and back axle of my
wagon we're broken. | was so worried
about my horses that knew nothing
of the damage done to Barney.
Mr. r. S.. Hood, gave out the fol-
lowing statementt ::
The first thing that / knew of the
accident was jar to the wagon,
which dislocated my finger. was
OH the Wagon. I jumped to the
ground TO remove harness from the
right hand horse. We were to the
right of the center of the street. 1t
was so dark that could not recog-
nize men or the wagon only few
feet away. Have afterwards found
out who they were, and am weH &C
quainted with them. It was very dark
on the street.
Mr.. W. S. Graham: I was stand
ing in the pustof6ce, and bad just
come out to get my wheel. I was in
the act of mounting, when the teams
came out of their houses. No. 3,
came out first, going west, and ap-
peared to be in the center OF the
street. No. 2 was about to meet my
team; 1 thought that a head-on coils
ion was inevitable. Just as they we're
about to neet, I saw my horses go to
the left of No. 2, then l heard the
crash.