The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-10-09
And Man and Boy Went
Hurting to Death.
'MR. kRBIN PETTY, KNOWN HERE
And Whose Relations Live
Here. Met Death From
Flying Balloon.
BODIES LITERALLY CRUSHED

The following Is an account from
the Tri-Cities Daily, OF a frightfu
accideN which occurred last Thurs
day evening at Tuscumbia, Ala.
just as the last number on the pro.
gram OF the Colbert County Fair
Was being rendered. Young Mr.
Petty, who met such terrible
death by falling from the balloon
was the son of Mrs. R. R. Wedding
of Hartford, and besides his mother
he leaves two sisters, Mrs. w. ID.
Landers, Of Harrisburg, Ark, and
Miss Elenor Petty, OF Hartford. and
also two brothers, Mr.. Arthur Pet
ty, who has long been a valued en-
ployef Of the Hartford Herald, and
Mr.. Walton Petty, of Harrisburg,
Ark.
The unfortunate young man was
81 years old and was we'll known
and respected in Hartford. For a
number of years he had been en-
gagged in the circus and entertain
ment business, travelling about
from place to place. The telegram
announcing his death was a severe
shock to the people of Hartford. 1t
was deemed best, on account Of
the mutilation of his body, to inter
his remains at Tuscumbia for the
present. The Tri-Cities Daily gives
the following account OF the very
sad affair:
The last number on the program
of the Colbert County Fair in Tus-
cumbia yesterday resulted in hor-
rible and appalling accident, cost
ing the lives of a man and boy, ].
A. Petty, aeronaut, and Lorenzo
Rowland, of Tuscumbia, a lad 5
years of age. The accident was
witnessed by hundreds of people,
and followed the last horse race
abogS o'clock. For an hour or
more the aeronaut had been engag-
ed in iniating the balloon. A num-
Der of boys, including young How
land, were assisting in holding the
big bag while it was being filled
with gas. In the meantime Petty
had attached himself to the para
chute, in which he was to descend,
and at his command the balloon
was let loose and shot upward.
Young. Rowland was caught by
the ankle by one of the ropes and
was carried upward,al the time en-
deavoring to extricate his foot,
whiclehe finally succeeded in doing.
The aeronant could be heard call
ing to the boy to come down where
he Was in the parachute, which the
lad did. 1t Is not known whether
or not the combined weight of the
man and boy broke the rope which
the parachute to the bal
loon or whether in his excitement
the boy unconsciously touched the
trigger rope, but the parachute was
seen to suddenly leave the balloon
after reaching a probable distance
of 400 feet. with the areonaut and
young Rowland clinging to 1t.
A shudder of terror shot through
the crowd when it was seen that
the parachute had failed to open
and the occupants fell like stones.
Women screamed and brave men
stood paralyzed in brief space of
A few seconds. A dull thud was
heard and scores of people rushed
10 the spot where they had fallen,
which was in a corn Deld only
lew hundred yards from the grand
stand.
A creek intervening was swum
~ a number of men and boys, anx-
Gus to reach them. They hurried
,ack with the sad news that both
we're dead. They had fallen In a
leap ard never knew what killed
hem. They were picked up. a
imp, bleeding mass of broken
'ones. and quickly conveyed to an
establishment. where
Dung Eowland's body was prepar-
d to be carried to the home Of his
arents and that of Petty to await
nstructions for its disposal.
Young Rowland was the Oldest
on Of L. d. Rowland. well known {
nd prominent citizen OF Tuscum-
"a, and a passenger engineer on 9