Accident At Scio
(Allegany County Democrat, June 8, 1877. From Allegany County Historian files. Transcribed by Michael Weber.)
Last Sunday afternoon, a team belonging to Mr. M. S. Davis, of Scio, while attendance at the funeral of Mr. Nelson A. Potter, of that town, ran away, seriously injuring several persons, demolishing the buggy, etc. The facts as near as we could learn them are these:
While in the procession, one of the horses reared, in a playful manner, and accidentally got one of its hind feet over the wagon tongue. Its struggles while in this position frightened the other horse which became fractious, and unmanageable. At this stage of the trouble, the umbrella, held by Mr. Henry Fitzsimmons, who was sitting on the front seat, became entangled in the dashboard, which entirely ebscured (sic) the team, from the view of Mr. Davis, who was driving, and the wheels on one side of the carriage ran off the end of a sluce-way bridge, throwing the inmates violently to the ground. Mrs. [Miranda] Showerman, Mrs. Violet Fitzsimmons, and a little son of Mr. H.C. Fitzsimmons, occupied the rear seat of the carriage, which tipped out and the ladies were thrown to the ground, striking on their heads.
Mrs. Showerman, it seems, was the most severely injured, as she lay in a comatose state, for several hours, from the effect of the injuries received by the accident. She suffered much pain, and it is uncertain, yet as to whether she will recover or not. Mrs. Fitzsimmons’ injuries were severe though not serious. The little boy escaped unhurt as he was in the arms of one of the ladies. Mr. Davis and Mr. Fitzsimmons fortunately escaped with a few slight injuries.
The horses ran a short distance and brought up in a fence. The accident was witnessed by a large number of people, and it seems almost a miracle that those in the carriage were not all killed.