Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 194, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1912 — EXCITING RUNAWAY ON NORTH GRAVEL. [ARTICLE]

EXCITING RUNAWAY ON NORTH GRAVEL.

Miss Ocie Wood Has Exciting Experience When Team Took Fright At Automobile. Pluck and presence of mind probably saved Miss Ocie Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Wood, of Parr, from serious injury this morning when a team she was driving ran away with her about 11 o’clock. She was coming to town to do some shopping and to deposit some money in a local bank for her father. Her purse contained about S2OO. As she was approaching the Chas. Stackhouse farm, about two miles north of town, the team she was driving became frightened at a passing automobile and ran away. One of ,the horses was an old family driver and was considered quite trustworthy. This same horse, however, was the first to take fright. Miss Wood was taken greatly unawares at the sudden action of the horse as the thought of a runaway never entered her mind. However, she re-collected her senses in a second and secured a firm grasp on the reins. The horses started toward town at a terrific speed, swerving at times from one side of the road to the other. In spite of all this Miss Wood remained calm and soon had the horses pretty well under control, although she lacked sufficient strength to check their speed. They ran to the old depot site, swung the corner west at the Babcock & Hopkin’s elevator and then turned south on Cullen street without slacking their speed. J. J. Montgomery and other men wh» were working at the site of Mr. Montgomery’s new home, saw the swiftly approaching team and ran out to the sereet and stopped them. Miss Wood discovered she had lost her purse* containing the S2OO, in the wild ride and immediately hired an automobile and went in search for it. She met Shelby Comer, who was coming to town and he told her of his find and returned the money to - her. Miss Wood was nervous and exhausted as a result of the strain but is happy that no accident resulted. That she was not thrown from the buggy and injured is almost a miracle.

Mrs. Liqda Langwith, of Davenport, lowa, has been the guest of Miss Blanche Babcock, of Parr, Bince last Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Healy went to Chicago today to attend the millinery opening. They will pirobably stay over until Sunday. Rev. Greeff will preach at the M. E. church next Sunday morning in place of Rev. Harper, who will be absent from the city. Mrs. Fred Chapman and daughter returned from a several weeks’ Visit with relatives in Chicago Heights and other places in Illinois. •» C. C. Warner, Jesse Nichols, Ed Grant, Ray Wood and J. H. S. Elliswent to Monticello today to attend the representative convention. i - - A R. Hopkins and Bert Abbott went to Chicago today to buy machinery for the new drying plant at the Babcack & Hopkins’ elevator. A. J. Abbott, who suffered an attack of heart trouble'a week ago today, is recovering slowly and is now able to be up and about the house. Mrs. Francis Cooley returned today to her home in Brookston, after a short visit here with her son, George Cooley, and family, who will shortly move to Chicago, where he is employed as a foreman of an extra gang on the Western Indiana Ry. V „