Taylor, C. G. 1814 - 1876

TAYLOR, BALLARD

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/13/2013 at 15:56:20

Iowa Plain Dealer October 6, 1876, P3 C2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

It becomes our painful duty to announce another of those shocking events that send a thrill of horror in their recital. On Tuesday, last Mr. C. G. Taylor. Who had been at work about four miles north of Chester came from there starting for Mr. Wm. Ballard’s where he has made his home for nearly a year, Mrs. Ballard being a sister of deceased. Between here and Lime Springs he was observed on his way by several persons who knew him and they remarked as he passed there goes “uncle Gil Taylor,” as he had become known to many from being thus addressed and spoken of by the children of his brother-in-law Mr. Ballard. A mile west of town, at the Powers’ place he stopped and warmed, talking with Mr. Powers about purchasing a plow with which to do a lot of plowing he had contracted to do near Lime Springs. He left there near six o’clock, was seen in Cresco shortly after work had closed for the day by mechanics and others working on time, tarrying but a few moments was seen to drive out of town toward New Oregon where Mr. Ballard resides. This was the last seen of him, alive. He appears to have passed on all right until near Mr. Sturgis’ place where his hat was found next day, on a little farther his gloves, pocket-knife, tobacco-box, and pocket-book. At a little past seven Mr. Ballard and his son discovered the team standing in front of the barn at their home, the deceased lying across the trace, his head hanging inside and his feet outside—dead. He seems to have fallen head foremost between the wheel and the bolster wedging so tightly that for a distance the wheel slid instead of turning, the axletree and spokes being covered with blood. The only plausible theory for the position in which found is that when the wheel commenced to turn the tendency was constantly to raise the body and carry it forward until thrown to the position in which it was found. One arm, the neck, back and ribs were broken, while fragments of skull and brain found along where the spokes must have been constantly striking the head after the wheel began to turn, demonstrates something of the position of his body during these fearful moments. The team probably did not go off a walk as packages on the wagon bottom without side boards seem to have remained as one would naturally have placed them. The deceased was nearly sixty-two years of age, was one of the most kindly disposed and generous men one would meet. While like all mortals, he had his faults, we think his virtues vastly overbalanced them. While immitating{sp} the ones, let us kindly spread the mantle of charity over the others.

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