Clements - Frank A.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Argus News May 5, 1894 p 4
A fatal accident, with details as brief as they are distressing, befell Frank A. Clements this morning at the Hutton home place just across the street from his own place of residence on Whitlock Avenue. Shortly after breakfast he left the house to look after his stock and in the course of his feeding started to lead three horses to the watering trough in the barn lot. The horse were tethered together and one of them being a stranger they began picking and biting at one another. Suddenly one reared up and struck out viciously with his front foot, the intended mark being, of course, the other horse but just at that instant Mr. Clements turned and received the full force of the blow in the abdomen. A young lad saw him fall and gave the alarm at the house. Assistance reached the unfortunate man in a very few moments but the last spark of life had gone out and he never knew what hurt him. This was not known at the time however, and the physicians who were summoned worked quite awhile before they could realize the sad fact. The news was a great shock to the community for few men there are who are better or more favorably known than the deceased. He was a quiet, unassuming gentleman, sober and industrious and will be missed alike as a friend and a citizen.
Mr. Clements was a popular passenger conductor on the Monon once but shortly after his marriage to Miss Laura Hutton, daughter of the late Jacob Hutton, he gave up railroading and the greater part of his time has since been spent farming. He was born in Lafayette Aug 18, 1854 and was married Nov 25, 1878. The deceased was about 40 years of age and leaves a wife and three young children to mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband and father. The funeral will probably occur Monday afternoon - kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Saturday, 28 April 1894
The city was inexpressible shocked this morning by the intelligence that Frank A. Clements had been killed by a horse at his home, just north of the city on Whitlock Avenue.
The accident is a peculiarly distressing one and removes from a sphere of usefulness a most excellent citizen. The particulars of the sad affair are as follows:
This morning shortly before 9 o’clock Mr. Clements went out to the stable to harness horses for the purpose of going to the field to plow. Last evening he had hired a horse of Willis McGrigg to assist him in the work. It was his intention to have Johnny VanCleave follow the plow and do the work of sub soiling. Young VanCleave had charge of one of Mr. VanClean’s regular horses which was too tired for the heavy work of breaking up. Its place had been filled by the McGrigg horse. Young VanCleave had gone to the field with his horse and when Mr. Clements had put the harness on the three other horses and led them to the watering trough the strange animal began to snap and bite at its mates, who returned the favor with interest. As they were led from the trough one of the horses bit one of the other animals, causing him to rear up. Mr. Clements, who had hold of the leading strap, was thus thrown around so that when the horse’s fore foot or knee descended, it struck him full in the pit of the stomach with terrific force. He fell to the ground and little Johnny Burroughs, who was standing near, and Mrs. Frank Gillispie, who witnessed the accident, immediately ran to him. His sister, Mrs. Hutton, and his grandmother were also on the spot almost immediately. The unfortunate man was unconscious but was still breathing. Others came running up. He was quickly carried to the renter’s house, occupied by Frank Gillispie, near the stable, and restoratives were freely administers. He never regained consciousness, however, and in less than five minutes had ceased to breathe.
Dr. J. N. Taylor was summoned but pronounced life extinct. The news was broken to his wife as gently as possible, but she was utterly prostrated by it and lies at her home in a pitiful condition. His aged mother, Mrs. Ruth Clements, is also prostrated by the terrible tragedy.
An examination of the body shows no mark of violence so it is probable that it was the horse’s knee and not his foot that struck Mr. Clements. The little Burroughs boy who was standing by, is unable to say just how it occurred or which horse did the irreparable mischief.
Frank Clements was born August 18, 1854, at Lafayette and was 40 years of age. He was for a number of years connected with the Monon Railroad, leaving it shortly after his marriage to Laura Hutton, sixteen years ago. He worked upon the road to the position of passenger conductor and was popular with all who knew him. He was engaged in farming after quitting the road. He leaves a family of a wife and three daughters. He was a quiet, industrious gentleman of whom only good could be said. He was liked by all and his death is indeed a shock to the entire community. The funeral and burial services will probably take place Monday afternoon. - s