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Show FELL DOWN AX AREA WAY. Knmnel ticorjre Itcad, (he Xew dealer,. Meet With a Very Painfnl Accident. A little before "-o'clock last evening, Mr. Samuel George Read, the venerable newsdealer who han a email store diagonally diagon-ally across from the Clift House, on Third j South street, closed his store and crossed ! the street with the intention of taking the street car to the D. & 11. G. depot, near j which he resides. Having a few minutes to wait for the car, he stood leaning, it is claimed, against the railing of the area-way area-way on the south side of the Palace Hotel building and must have, in some way, lost his balance and was precipitated head foremost down the areaway, striking with unbroken force on the rough gravel flooring below. He was rendered unconscious uncon-scious by the fall, and was pulled out of the stairway a few moments later by some boys who heard the unfortunate man's groans. He was carried to Dr. Higgins' drug shire, north of the Clift House, and received re-ceived such relief as Dr. Bowers, who happened to be at the drug store, could give. It was found that he had sustained some very serious injuries, his left thigh being broken, and two ugly-looking gashes on the head explained the cause of his unconsiousness. After removing Mr. Head to his home his friends summoned sum-moned Dr. Benedict, and the broken limb received the necessary attention at his hands. There are conflicting account aa to how the accident happened, some claiming claim-ing that Mr. Read, who is 78 years of age and very near sighted, walked into the areaway in the dark, there being at the cast end . no further protection than a couple of frail iron bars stretched across, reaching not more than thirty inches from the ground. The account which seems the most credible is the one briefly given above. Mr. Read had a bundle of papers under one arm and some books under the other, and it is thought that in leaning against the low rail he lost his footing, and in the darkness and with both arms engaged, he was unable to catch himself. Whichever version may prove correct will not change the fact that the stairway in which the accident occurred is in a shamefully unsafe condition and reflects discredit on the owner of thapropertv, if not also on the city officials whose duty it is to see that such places are secure against the possibility of such accidents. The . probability is that it will prove a very serious if not a fatal accident to Mr. Read, who is too old and feeble to resist a great amount of suffering, and while there has been nothing definite done looking to a suit for damages, it is rumored that such an action may be taken in justice jus-tice to the unfortunate gentleman, who is in no position financially to endure the I hardships thrust upon him. In the event of a suit for damages, it is claimed that botTi the city and the property-owner may be held liable. |