Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1898 — Very Badly Injured. [ARTICLE]

Very Badly Injured.

W. P. Hopkins is Run Over by a Heavily Loaded Wagon. A very severe and perhaps fatal accident happened to W. P. Hopkins, our deaf and dumb townsman, Tuesday about noon. He was engaged ih hauling cordwood to town from James Yeoman’s place, a few miles west. As he was coming in with a load he got otf and walked to warm himself, and in passing Alton Grant’s orchard, about a mile west of town,, he stumbled and fell between the wheels, and the hind wheel of the heavily loaded wagon parsed over his body. He was found soon after by one-of the Hordeman boys und taken into Mr. Grant’s house where he now is. He complains greatly of pain across the abdomen, and he thinks that the wheel passed over him there but from the appearance of his bruises it is more likely that he fell upoij his face and the wheel passed over his back. Dr. English is attending but is not yet able to determine the full extent of his injuries. His shoulder is very badly bruised but it is not broken. The worst injury is probably in the back, and as a result his lower limbs are now paralyzed, and also one arm. He also may be badly hurt internally, but that can not be known at present. His injnries are undoubtedly very dangerous although his physician is now disposed to take a somewhat more hopeful view of their result than when he made his first visit to him.

Reports of W. P. Hopkins’ condition yesterday are that he is no better; and his symptoms are suoh as to indicate serious internal injuries and thus leave practically little if any grounds for hoping for a favorable termination. The circumstance that most clearly indicates dangerous internal injuries is his continued complete inability to retain anything on his stomach. He was brought to his home in town, yesterday afternoon.