ISLAND LAD DRAGGED TO DEATH BY HORSE

MCGILL, BROWN

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 10/23/2010 at 15:58:47

FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD ORAL MCGILL MEETS TRAGIC DEATH AT NEARBY FARM

DEATH ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS

Youth, About To Bring Cows from Field, Falls From Horse and Is Kicked Over the Heart When Dragged Over the Earth With Foot In Stirrup.

Oral McGill, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.L. McGill of Muscatine Island, met tragic death shortly after five o'clock last evening when he fell from a horse and was dragged through a field, with one foot tangled in the stirrup. Although no bones were broken, deep gashes were inflicted beneath the chin and on the back of the head. Investigations by Dr. A. J. Oliver of this city and Dr. McGrew of Grandview revealed the fact that the youth had been kicked near the heart, the blow from the horse's hoof being assigned as the cause of his death.

Sought Cattle.

At 4:30 o'clock the ill-fated lad obtained a horse and started on a ride to a field about a mile distant where he was to locate several cows and drive them to the barns. After he had proceeded a short distance, however, the horse slipped and fell with the result that young McGill's limb was caught in the stirrup. The animal immediately recovered itself and before the youth could remove his foot from the stirrup, the horse ran back toward the barn. In spite of desperate efforts to free himself the lad was dragged the entire distance to the barn. The family members rushed to his aid and immediately sought medical assistance. Dr. Oliver and the Grandview doctor made a hurry-up trip to the residence but failed in their efforts to save the lad's life. He died at 5:10 o'clock.

The accident marked the second tragedy of the kind in this vicinity within the past two months, Melvin Brown of Sweetland having met death similarly in November, a mule dragging him across a field.

In addition to his parents, the lad is survived by five brothers and sisters as follows: Twyla, Lawrence, Cleda, Frances and Daryl. Arrangements for the funeral have not yet been perfected.

Source: LCHS scrapbook; newspaper clipping with handwritten date of Dec. 27, 1916