by Laurel | March 28th, 2014
18 June 1873
No less than eight severe accidents occurred in town, last week, two of which have proved fatal. The last was at South Holyoke, Saturday afternoon, when a man and woman were thrown from a load of household goods, the accident being causes by a horse becoming frightened. The man, who sustained the severest injuries was Daniel Crawford of Chicopee Falls. He had a shoulder dislocated, an arm broken, and several sever cuts and bruises about the head and face. The woman had no broken bones, but besides bruises, received a terrible gash on her forehead, exposing the skull for two or three inches, Both were attended by Drs. Davis and Taylor and probably will recover.
The Holyoke Yacht Club, on Friday evening, completed arrangements or their fourth annual yachting tour. They will start from New Haven, August 2, and will probably cruise about three weeks. The stopping places will include New London, Newport, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and several other watering places. the club has at present 15 members, and is composed chiefly of young business men. Their former trips have proved exceedingly pleasant , and it is proposed that this shall fully equal any of its predecessors.
Of the 10 deaths in Holyoke last week, six were of small pox, and all children under 12 years of age. It is evident that there are more cases of this disease than the board of health are aware of, but Mr. Judd is now doing all in his power to prevent its further spread, and all new cases should be reported to him at once.
Several witnesses were examined Saturday, at the adjourned meeting of the coroner’s jury on the death of Patrick Brennan, as it was desirable to learn the truth of the statements that have been made that the crossing on the Holyoke and Westfield railroad near the scene of the accident was unnecessarily obstructed, thus causing the fright of the horse. Gober Gee, a witness of the accident, testified that he considered the crossing extremely dangerous; that he had had a horse frightened at this place, and the he had known the crossing to be obstructed by engines for a much longer time than is allowable. Justin Chapin, an employee of the railroad, testified that he saw the accident and did not believe that the horse was frightened by the cars. Although it is a well-known fact that this crossing is often needlessly obstructed, the jury failed to implicate the railroad company in connection with this particular case, and therefore rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts before published.
At Saturday’s police court, Morris Felton, for breaking his wife’s head, was sent to jail in lack of $10.85. James Donahue paid $ $9.55 and Henry West, Martin Leonard, and Dwight Egleston $8 each for assault.
The little daughter of G. W. Gibson fell from her father’s hack, a few days ago, and one of the wheels passed over her body, but fortunately without serious harm.
James S. Taylor has bought at auction Isaac McKim‘s lot on Union Street for $4000.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.