The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-08-12
LEGS CRUSHED
IN RUNAWAY
MILE FROM AID
Adams Man Shows Remarkable
F0rtitude
AMPUTATION NECESSARY
Brakes Failed to Work Properly On
Steep Mountain Road--Was
Walking Beside Wagon

North Adams, August 11.-After
lying fully conscious for nearly three
hours, with his left leg and right foot
! badly crushed as the result of being
run over by the wheels of his wagon
loaded with wood following a wild
runaway down the almost perpendi.
cular road on the mountain to the
west of South State street late this
afternoon, Alfred Lewis of Ripper
street, 81, of Adams, finally brought
aid by his repeated cries and was re-
moved to the North Adams hospital,
where the left leg was amputated
just below the knee. II is feared that
the right foot also may have to be
ambutated.
Lewis was employed by the Hoosac
lime company of Adams in drawing
wood. His brakes failed to work prop
erly, and he was walking beside the
wagon with the reins. wound around
his right hand and a wedge in his left
hand ready to slip under the wheel il
the wagon went too fast. The horses
became frightened, and made a wild
dash down the steep road. Lewis was
dragged nearly half mile, but kept
to his feet until at short curve the
shaft broke, and his hold on the reins
was broken. He fell under the wheels
of the wagon which passed over him,
and struck some trees by which it
was stopped. The horses went to the
other side Of the road where the
harness caught in tree, which stop
ped them with neither sustaining
hardly more than a scratch.
The left leg bled profusely, but
Lewis crawled to the wagon and Sc
curing strap. bound IL above the
knee and held it in place until aid
reached him. The strap partly stop
ped the flow of blood and undoubted.
ly prevented him from dying on the
spot. For three hours between fits
of exhaustion, he shouted for help
without avail, being nearly mile
from the nearest house on South
State street. Fearing he would die
before aid would reach him, he tried
to crawl down the mountain side, but
had gone only about 100 yards when
weakness compelled him to give up
the attempt
Finally his cries were heard by
men working in st. Joseph's ceme-
terry clear across the valley. the
sound being carried over the people
who resided on South State sreet
nearly half mile nearer. Two of
the men employed in the cemetery
waded across the river and first tele-
phoning the police. started up the
mountain and fround Lewis Capt.
Philip Perron and officer p. j. Walsh
soon reached the place and sent for
the ambulance, which made the trip
up the steep mountain side with great
difficulty. being obliged to stop sew
erai times to rest the horses
When aid reached him Lewis first
words were to ask for something to
smoke. He then asked Dr. NJ. NJ
Brown. who was called, If the leg
could be saved and received reply
in the negative. He was placed in the
ambulance which made the torturous
trip down the mountain side and as
soon as he reached the hospital. the
leg was amputated. 1t was so badly
crushed that there was not the slight
est hope OF saving 1t. While his
chances for recovery are fair, he is
In a dangerous condition, owing to
the excessive loss of blood and the
time that elapesed before medical aid
reached him. He has wife and child
In Adams.