Watertown Daily Times, October 22, 1900 GEORGE WHEELER DRAGGED TO DEATH George Wheelers Disfigured Body Found in Highway KILLED IN A RUNAWAY ACCIDENT Body Discovered Early Sunday Morning Near His Home---Leaves a Wife and Six Small Children Theresa, Oct. 22.---The village and community were startled yesterday morning by the fact that George Wheeler, a well-known resident of this town, had been found dead at the gate leading from Elias Waltons to Mr. Wheelers home. He was so disfigured that when found he was not recognized. He was seen at Plessis at 9:30 the previous evening and started for his home with a horse and wagon and several bags of feed. When the body was discovered in the morning the horse was found in a pasture near by and the wagon also with only two bags of grain in it. On investigation it would seem that a runaway had occurred and that on turning a corner near Mr. Waltons. Mr. Wheeler was thrown violently from the wagon, but that his feet caught in the vehicle in such a way that he was dragged to the spot where his lifeless and mutilated body was found several hours later, and it was freed from the wagon only after fatal injuries had been sustained. At the spot, where the body was found there is a gate guarding the entrance to a land one-fourth mile long, leading to Mr. Wheelers house. It is supposed that the horse, finding the gate closed, stopped, backed up, and thus released the dragging body, and tried to get home by passing around a contiguous barn. Coroner D. C. Rodenhurst and Dr. Kelsey visited the scene and found indications as above described. Mr. Wheeler owned and operated a steam sawmill and a farm, and was a hard working man and a good mechanic. A very sad feature of the case lies in the fact that he leaves a young widow and six little children, the oldest about 9 and the youngest less than a year old, to struggle with the problems of life without husband and father, and with limited means of support. Mrs. Wheeler, who is a most worthy woman, and her little children have the sympathy of the entire community. Another correspondent gives the following additional particulars of the accident: Mr. Wheeler was in Redwood Saturday night. He left his horse in charge of a boy, who left the horse unhitched. The horse ran to Plessis, a distance of three and a half miles. Parties from Plessis started to drive the rig back to Redwood, but met Mr. Wheeler on the road. Wheeler then took his horse and buggy and started for home. Sunday morning when the hired man on the Elias Walter farm went to the barn at about 4:45 a.m. he found Wheeler lying by the road side with a gash in his right temple. Life was extinct and from all appearances he had been dead several hours. A close examination of the highway showed the buggy track turned the corner about 15 rods back too quickly and the buggy ran up on a bank at the left side of the road. At the right was found a clot of blood upon the rock. From this corner to where his lifeless body was found the road showed that he had been dragged. His left leg was lacerated and so bruised and covered with blood that it was some time before he was identified by old neighbors and acquaintances. He leaves a wife, formerly Miss Sarah Babcock, of Clayton, and six small children. He is also survived by his aged father, Milton Wheeler of Theresa, and two brothers, Gilbert and Edward of Theresa, and two sisters, Mrs. L. D. [Ella] Turner of Orleans, and a married sister [Caroline Brown] who lives in Chicago. Mr. Wheeler was about 43 years old, a carpenter and builder by trade. He was well known through this part of the county. Many buildings erected by him stand as monuments to his skill as a mechanic. He was genial and well liked by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, to whom the news of his untimely death was a great shock.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 00:42:57 +0000
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