McDonald County, Missouri - Chapter 9: Accidents, 1897

To chronicle all the fatal accidents that have happened in this county would require more than the entire contents of this volume. Following are a few of the more striking ones which serve to illustrate how easily the thread of life may be broken by accident or carelessness.

John H. Harmon, son of Isaac Harmon, left town to-day (January 26, 1881) about noon, in a state of intoxication. He was driving his team, which was usually gentle, and was alone in his wagon. It is supposed that the horses became frightened and ran away; at any rate John Mosier found the wagon and team and the dead body of Mr. Harmon in Price's lane near Pineville, about 2 o'clock p. m. Harmon was quite dead and was lying under the wheel of the wagon, the lines were wrapped several times about the

Jonn H. Harmon was about 40 years old. He married the daughter of Thomas Gordon, of Benton county, Arkansas, and leaves a wife and several children.

This sad occurrence is another incidence in the long chapter of wrongs caused by whisky, and is all the more frightful from its happening near a town where no wThisky is sold as a beverage except in defiance of the laws of the land. - Pineville News.

Otis Sterley, a young man about 20 years of age, was killed at Thomas Looney's, on Little Sugar creek, in the Southeastern part of the county, November 10, 1883, by a falling tree. Young Sterley and Looney were hauling rails, and while Sterley was replacing a rail that had partially fallen from the wagon, a dead tree that was standing near fell on him and crushed him against the hind wheel of the wagon and bruised him so that he died in about half an hour. - Pineville News.

shaft at Dr. Benna, s mines two miles southwest of Twin Springs, died from the effects of foul air. It appears that deceased and Dr. Benna went to the shaft the day previous for the purpose of putting off a blast that had been prepared, and that deceased proposed to go down then, but as they both supposed there was damp in the shaft, concluded to wait until the next morning when it would be cooler and, as they thought, safe. On the morning above stated Mr. Benna let him down in the shaft, which was about 40 feet deep, on a rope attached to a windless, and after reaching: the bottom he said the air was bad and he could uot stand it, and requested Mr. Benna to pull him out. He then placed one foot in a loop in the rope and took hold with both hands, but when about 6 feet from the bottom, he fell back, and was dead before aid could reach him. - Pineville News.

Willie Testerman, aged 17 years, son of Marshal Testerman, was killed on the Neosho road about a mile above Pineville, October 18, 1888. He had brought a load of lumber to town for the Baptist church, which was then building and was returning home, riding on the front bolster of the wagon. When near the place above mentioned, the team became frightened and ran away, throwing him off, and the wheels probably passed over him. Beside being badly bruised a blood vessel at the base of the brain was ruptured from the effects of which he died in about an hour. - Pineville News.

Frank Derbin was drowned in Big Sugar creek, some 12 or 15 miles above Pineville, last Saturday, while fishing. He, with others, was fishing with a net or sein They had set their net at the end of a deep pool of water, and Derbin went out on a log that lay in the creek and j umped off into the water and swam under it for some distance as if diving, and when nearing the lower end of the pool, where the water was shallow attempted to raise himself out of the water, but fell back. Some of his associates, seeing there was something wrong with him, caught him and dragged him out on the bank where he died in two or three minntes. The general inpression is that he died from congestion caused by being in the water two long, having been in the greater part of the time for three or four hours. He was ondinarily a proficient swimmer. - Pineville News, May 27, 1887.

In the latter part of March, 1890, one of the most distressing cases caused by lightning ever recorded, occured on the Widow Ray farm on Buffalo creek. The house occupied by John Wilson and family was struck by lightning between 12 and 1 o'clock. The family were all in bed at the time. The bolt came through the roof down the gable end of the house and struck Mrs. Wilson in the breast, killing her instantly. Their little son, William, was terribly shocked and died the next morning. The baby, which laid next to its mother was unharmed. Mr. Wilson was shocked so he could not move, and the bed having been set on fire he was compelled to lay there for a considerable time, the smudging fire gradually eating into his flesh. The only other occupant of the house was Mrs. Wilson's father, a feeble old man who could not get Mr. Wilson off the bed. He finally extinguished the fire, thus saving the life of the helpless man. Mr. Wilson was terribly burnt about the hips and thighs, and for months had to be lifted like a child, but he finally recovered.

the accidental killing of John Stafford, son of Claib and Elizabeth Stafford of Cyclone, October 13, 1891. Young Stafford, with his brother Charley and several others, was working on the right of way of the railroad south of the river along Jim William s field.

He and John LaGore were chopping down a tree that stood at the foot of a ledge of rock about four feet high. LaGore was on the lower side while Stafford was on the upper, between the tree and the rock wall. Suddenly, and before it was expected to fall, the tree split up some three feet, the butt flew back and caught him against the solid mass of stone, cutting off the right leg near the upper part of the thigh, and crushing the left leg from the knee to the ankle. As if satisfied with its terrible work the tree then lurched forward and pitched several feet down the hill.

The injured man was taken to the camp near the river where his leg was amputated, but the shock from the injury and the ordeal of having his limb severed was more than human strength could bear, and he died about 2 o'clock the next morning the injury having occurred the previous afternoon. He was a model young man, of steady habits, industrious and quiet and well liked by every one who knew him.

Another sad case of drowning occurred at the lower end of what is called Big Rock, at the southeast part of Pineville. On the afternoon of April 22, 1890, he dug a can of bait, took his pole and line and went fishing. He was quite a little boy to go out all alone, being only seven the fall before. But, as he and many other boys were in the habit of going no uneasiness was felt until he failed to come home to supper. Dark came on and still he did not appear. The alarm was given and a search for the lost boy was begun. In a short time his can of bait was found on a large slanting rock that reached down to the water, and his pole lying across it. It was evident he had set down on the rock where he lost his balance and slipped into the water. The search for his body continued all through the night, but the water being muddy it was not found until nearly noon the next day. It had floated down a mile or more below town. Jim Brown, the same one who afterwards found the body of Lula Noel, was the first to discover it.

On the*?, day of May. 1897, John Reece. aged 22, Harvy Reece. aged 19, Frank Reece, aged three brothers and James Moulton, a boy 17 years old. were in a boat fishing in Elk River at the Bartley Bluff, a short distance below the residence of James Lansrlev. They ran the boat to the left bank of the river on the opposite side from the bluff, where the water was comparatively still, and about six feet deep, intending to land. The bow of the boat struck the bank with some force causing it to suddenlv start back. The shock threw John Reece. who was standing, off his balance and he pitched head first into the water. As he came up. his brother Harw and the Moulton bov reached out and caught him. This turned the boat over and threw all four of the bovs into the water. The little Reece bov causrht to the limb of a tree that hung over the water and clung to it until rescued.

The older of the two Reece boys was a good swimmer and the other could swim some, but the Moulton boy could not swim at all. For some reason the skill of the two was unavailing and the three boys were soon lifeless on t". pebbly bottom.

was usual, but soon 'distinguished the tone of distress arid ran to their assistance. They found the little boy still holding to the limb, and when they asked where the other boys were he said "There they are on the bottom of the river, drowned." They looked down in the Clearwater and there beheld the three dead bodies lying where the cruel hand of fate had rung down the curtain on the last tragic scene of their lives.

The parties lived some two miles south of Coy. Jimmie was the son of X. B. Moulton and wife, being her only child. The two Reece boys were the sons of a widow whose husband had met a tragic death a few months before. A tree had blown down near his house, and part of the roots were still clinging to the ground. They were at work on the tree and had sawed the trunk into, when the stump settled back towards an upright position, catching Mr Reece, who was standing at its base, under it and crushing him almost beyond recognition.

The first of last week a sad and fatal accident occured about eight miles northeast of Pineville in which Mrs. Proctor was burnt to death. She was standing with her back to the tire place when her skirts caught fire Her two little srirls ran to her assistance, but besides burning their hands both of them caught fire. A young hired man hearing their screams ran in and seeing the children on fire, tore their clothing off before they were injured. In the meantime Mrs. Proctor ran out doors, around the house and all over the yard until she dropped from exhaustion and died in a short time. Her clothing was entirely destroyed, and in many places her body burnt to a crisp. Mr. Proctor was away at the time visiting relatives in Ark. The corps was kept until he could return and attend the funeral. - McDonald County Republican, January 25, 1895.

Wednesday afternoon between two and three o'clock Lee Sellers, one of the most prosperous and highly respected citizens of this county met with a tragical death near his home on Indian creek, about one mile east of Anderson. He and one of his sons were out in the hills loading a sawlog. They had placed the rope around it and were rolling it up with the team, when the rope gave way and the log rolled over Mr. Sellers and mashed him so that he died in a short time. The children, some of whom reside in the Territory, have all been notified, and the burial will take place at the Beaver Springs cemetery today. The deceased owned a large farm on Indian creek about a mile east of Anderson and was well fixed for a comfortable life. He leaves a wife and several children. - McDonald County Republican February 22, 1895.

Yesterday afternoon James Meranda, a farmer who has been living near this place for the past twenty years, and for the last two years on Mrs. Chenowetlrs place, one mile north of Pineville, committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart with a rifle gun of 44 caliber. Mr. Meranda 's wife died over two years ago, and he has been very despondent since, sometimes remarking that he thought of killing himself, but no one had any idea of his doing so. He had been in unusual low spirits for the last four or five days, but went about his work on the farm as usual, plowing until noon yesterday.

Shortly after noon he took his gun and started toward his corn crib, looking back as he walked off. His oldest daughter aged 17 years, thinking from his actions there was something wrong, asked him where he was going, when he replied that he was going to the crib to shoot a rat. He then went on and got in the crib and shot himself as above stated. His daughter, as soon as hearing the report of the gun and him halloo, ran to the crib and found her father dying, with a bullet hole in his left breast, and his gun lying on one side of his body and the ramrod on the other, which goes to show that he used the ramrod to push the trigger. Deceased leaves six children - five girls and one boy their ages ranging from 2 to 17 years. - Pineville News, August 4, 1886.

Among the ancient residents of Pineville were George Casbeer and his wife. He was dissipated and they lived very unhapily together. At last, tired of their troubles, they decided to end their lives. She agreed that if he would get the whisky, she would mix the poison, and they would drink their last draught together. The liquor was procured, and on a Sunday evening they filled their goblets to the brim and drank them to the very dregs. They were soon discovered in their agony, and told what they had done and why, but refused to take any antidote. She died the next day and he at night a few hours later.

death came as a welcome messenger of peace. They left seven children who were taken care of by friends in Illinois. The above statement was furnished by a man who was an eye witness to the scene and heard them give their statements.