Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-24
DRAGGEDTWOMILEs
!. BY RUNAWAY HORSE
Rural Mail Agent in Decatur
Saves Life by Holding His Head
Above Ground AS Railroad
800 Crossing Awaited Him

Dragged for nearly two miles behind
frantic horse, his back and shoulders
hurting against the road. yet holding his
head above the uneven ground so as to
escape fatal injuries, was the thrilling ex-
perience OF Robert Rogers, DeKalb
county rural free mail agent in Decatur
Saturday afternoon. who escaped what
was believed to be. certain death, with
serious, but not fatal injuries. .-. .
Following close behind the plunging
! animal and mail sulky beneath which
Rogers was pinioned, dashed vehicles
filled with physicians and citizens. who
saw the frenzied horse and yet were I'M
able to stop his flight or give any relief
to his victim. who was dragged scream
ing through the town, into the suburbs,
and finally stopped seventy-five yards
from railroad crossing, where Rogers
would undoubtedly have met death on
the cruel rails and crossties.
The runaway horse finally ended his
mad dash. when he crashed headlong into
fence that surrounded the Thompson's
home, just short distance away from
Sans Crossing, where the Georgia rail-
! road cuts Sycamore street. The animal
ian through a gate, started at right
angles and. then crashed into the fence.
PHYSICIANS CLOSE BEHIND.
The physicians and citizens, who had
followed behind the runaway as Rogers
raced with death, arrived a few minutes
later. Hurried examinations showed that
there were no internal, or fatal injuries.
that Rogers had not even any bones
broken. although there were deep gashes
that had been cut in his shoulders as, he
was dragged along the road.
How Rogers was able to keep his head
| above the ground for approximately two
! miles is nothing short of miraculous.
With his feet caught beneath the front
axle of two-wheeled sulky, such as
mail carriers use, he was absolutely pow
erless to stop the frantic horse, or even
pull himself from his perilous position.
Rogers had attempted to step into the
sulky when one of the boards in the
bottom crashed out. Rogers feet fell
| through the opening, and the horse, sur
prised by the noise, sprang forward. AS
he did so 1t threw Rogers body, head
foremost under the seat, and out over
the rear Of the sulky. Rogers legs
caught beneath the front axle of the
sulky, and his head and shoulders, swung
out toward the ground.
With wonderful presence of mind he
grasped the back Of the sulky with both
hands, and with shoulders bounding along
the roadway. managed to keep his head
above the ground. He Immediately began
calling for help. The horse swung around
the street corners until 1t reached Syca-
more street, and then started out the
straight road toward Sans crossing.
. SPECTATORS HELPLESS.
Spectators in the main portion of the
town heard the screams ana rushed for
ward 60 stop the horse. 1t was of nc
avail. The animal swept through the
crowds, narrowly missed standing vehi-
cles, aad grew more frantic as 1t heard
the cries of the bystanders and the pit
cous appeals of the victim dragged be.
meath the sulky. .s..
Physicians, who heard the cries. sprang
into their own buggies, and started after
the fleeing animal. Although KNOWING
that they could not .overtake him until
he was checked, they knew they would
be needed as soon as they could reach
Rogers. Citizens. who had vehicles and
farmers with their teams, also joined In,
while pedestrians, started out sycamore
street to render any assistance that they
could. ..
The horror that awaited at the railroad
crossing, when it would DC impossible
for Rogers to hold his head above thu
rails, was uppermost from the crossing
-.- Is BARELY SAVED.
Seventy-five yards from the crossing
where the road turns sharply toward the
left, the horse, unable to clear the bend,
dashed straight toward the Thompson
home. The animal, beyond all control
dashed through a gate, the wheel hubs,
narrowly missing the gate poses.
People on the veranda of the house saw
the horse come dashing through the gate.
They saw Rogers efforts becoming more
feeble as he fought to keep his. head up.
They ran toward the horse, which fright
end by the crowd. turned again and start
ed toward the fence. The animal at
tempted to leap the fence. our was caught
as his front feet went over.
Rogers was conscious, but suffering
great pain. Hardly had the runaway been
stopped before one of Rogers brothers
reached him. The two physicians, DR..
Goss and DR.. Ansley, arrived few mo-
ments later and made eevry effort to
relieve Rogers suffering.
The final examination as well as the
preliminary investigation OF Rogers
wounds, showed that there were no bones
broken and that there were no fatal in
juries, despite the perilous ride.