Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-06
TRAGIC DEATH
FROM RUNAWAY
MAD FLIGHT OF DELIVERY TEAM
sNuFFs OUT LIFE OF YOUNG
DRIVER.
PITCHED TO GROUND
Wheels Pass over Johnnie McDavitt's
PITCHED TO GROUND
Wheels Pass over Johnnie McDavitt's
Body After FaIllns-Survives
Until His Mother
Arrives.

1
heavy delivery wagon, the bruised
form of little Johnnie McDavitt, the
12-year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
ward McDavitt, 923 Hayne street,
gave up the struggle for life in the
presence of his heartbroken mother
shortly after o'clock this morning,
within half an hour of the sad occur
renee OF the accident that cost the
child his young life.
The lad had been employed for
some time past as an extra delivery
boy by the Seistrand grocery firm
on Hayne street, and was about to be-
gin his work for the day, when he was
doomed to the tragic fate he met. The
youth had, with his companion driver,
Ed Lager, just finished Harvesting
the horses. Lager had charge of the
larger wagon, while young McDayitt
used light single wagon. While the
Lager youth was closing the stable,
the McDaviu boy threw the seat cush-
ion into the larger wagon and was
about to arrange the seat for Lager,
when the horses began running away,
pitching the lad from the wagon and
causing the injuries that resulted in
almost instant death. number OF
persons witnessed the accident and
one of them, Mrs John Stiles, who re
sides a short distance from the Seis-
trand barn, endeavored to stop the
team.
Mrs. Stiles Story.
When seen shortly after the acct
dent, Mrs. Stiles gave the following
version:
Il was standing at the gate on the
q sii pf no
were hitching the team, and my at
tention was attracted to the scene by
the voice of Johnnie McDavitt calling
thing about his pitching the seat
cushion into the wagon, as when l
first saw him he was in the act of
climbing into the vehicle. His left
foot was on the step at the front of
the wagon which was facing the east
at the time The horses began to
move. not so fast at the time, but
grandally going faster. The boy
called to them to stop, but they CON
tinued. He had hold of the wagon
brake handle with one hand and was
about to throw his right leg over the
wheel, when the horses, having paid
, no attention to his commands to stop,
down the alley, they broke into fast
plunging and ran wildly toward my
home. / saw a child in the street near
my house and in the path of the run
ming team, and called to him to get
: out of the way. then ran around the
house to the alley side and tried to
open the gate and stop the horses,
for l feared for the safety of the Nc
Davitt boy
Lad Was Caught.
81 was unable, however, to open the
gate, and when the team passed they
were running very rapidly and wildly.
5 The lad was at this time still holding
to the brake, but had fallen between
the wheel and the wagon bed and was
straddle of the axle at the front of
the wagon. His head was thrown back
and his hair streaming in the wind
his hat having fallen in the street
near my home. Dashing by the gate
the team ran madly down the alley
: to the next corner, with the lad unable
: to extricate himself from his precar
: ious position, and with the swerving
I of the wagon, he was held pinned be
| tween the wheel and the wagon bed
! When the corner was reached the
|, and the lad either fell or was pitched
to the ground and both wheels of that
e side of the wagon passed roughly ovel
;. his little breast"
n The team continued their mad race
I until they came to the Seistrand store
y having turned the corner again after
IL running down the lad. They were
caught on Hayne street, close to the
store where they belong.
;. Many willing hands lent aid to the
u injured lad and medical attention
9 was soon summoned, but too late tt
be of any assistance to the lad. Wore
. was dispatched to his family, who re
4 side some two blocks from the seem
n of the accident, and his disconsolat,
, mother arrived in time to hear his las
. word, mother" and he passed ava,
in her presence.
. Companion Resigns.
y Internal injuries sustained when tn
= wheels of the heavy wagon passe
=. = over him. together with the fall fror
y the wagon, caused his death. No bone
= showed signs Of fracture and but fey
:, bruises were noticeable.
- The boy was ~ years old and tn
;. Youngest son of Mr.. and Mrs. Edwar
ro McDaNllt, DOM ol WHoH survive mn
= as does also three brothers, Charlie
> E. of East ST Louis; Hugh p 40
20 East Second street, and Joseph, q
- home; two sisters, Bessie and Is;
" belle, also of Ottumwa, survive.
" " AS a result of the runaway, f,
a. a. Lager, who has driven the team fc
" some time Fast, resigned at the soil
u itation of his mother, who feared
81 similar fate for her child If he col
10 tinued about the team. A week ag
IS this team took wild streak and d
"a moished delivery wagon. The horse
~ have been the source of much alarl
to drivers.
Boy Injured at Hedrick.