Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1873 — A Ride to Death—Results of a Drunken Frolic. [ARTICLE]

A Ride to Death—Results of a Drunken Frolic.

Between ten and eleven o’clock last night a party of men, who were determined to have a 4th of July celebration prematurely, and on their own account, effected their purpose by burning up the hack in which they rode, and also in burning one of their own number so badly that he died from tlie effects of his injuries today. Early in the evening Daniel B. Webb, the passenger agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at tliis place; Samuel Fleming, a railroad engineer, formerly employed on the Hocking Valley Railroad; and Jacob Huston, a sporting man, procured a quantity of fireworks and commenced firing them off in the streets. They were warned to desist by the police, and hired a hack to drive out of the city, with the intention of finishing up their fun there. Going out to Franklinton they shot off a number of rockets and Roman candles. Not content with this, however, they returned to the city and procured another quantity of fireworks at AVagner’s and then proceeded to Meneeley’s saloon, where they drank copiously. They then went out to Franklinton the second time. While driving through tlie covered bridge they commenced firing off crackers inside of the hack, and frightened tlie horses, causing them to run away. By the time they arrived at Franklinton again, however, tlie horses had become quiet, and they got out and gave another display of pyrotechnics. Returning to the city once more, they procured another and much larger lot of fireworks, and still.more drinks. They then started out to Camp Chase to finish up their night’s revels. AVhen about four miles west of the city, the liackman, whose name is Walcutt, noticed that the party had a lighted torch in the vehicle. He tried to take it away from them, but was unable to do so. Almost immediately afterward tire fire-crackers began to explode in the hack, and the horses, frightened at the noise, set off at full speed. As the vehicle went dashing along the road tlie rockets took fire and begun to shoot out at the windows their long trails of fire illuminating the whole landscape. Then the Roman candles became ignited, and soon the lining and whole interior of tlie vehicle were in flames. The fearful race was kept up for more than a mile, during which time AYebb and Huston somehowmanaged to get out. When tlie horses were finally brought to a stand and unhitched, Fleming, who had been fastened in the vehicle, broke out. The hack was by this time so near demolished that it was allowed to burn up. Fleming was not so badly burned as might have been expected, and, witii tire liackman, started back to the city. Proceeding about half a mile they found Webb on the road, with liis clothes literally burned off him, while Huston was still further hack. Procuring assistance, they took both of them to the American House, in this city. At twelve o’clock to-day AYebb died from tlie injuries. The other two, though quite seriously burned, are in a fair way to recover.— Columbus, 0., (June 28) Dispatch to Cincinnati Enquirer.