Benson - Lee
Source:: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Thursday 6 Oct 1892
The funeral of little Lee Benson was conducted this afternoon at 3 o’clock by Rev. G. W. Switzer. The interment occurred at Oak Hill.
Source: Same
Saturday evening about 6 o’clock, there occurred in the alley between Market Street and Lafayette Avenue an accident peculiarly shocking and sad, and which resulted in the almost instant death of Lee Benson, a bright little lad of 13 years.
Lee, who was the son of Mrs. Ella Benson, of Lafayette Avenue, had passed the holiday with some young companions in the woods and returning went to the residence of William Scott, on Market Street, where all the youngsters of the neighborhood have been wont to assemble for the games. It has always been a favorite pastime with them to ride the horses of Mr. Scott to the drinking fountain near Goldsburg’s junk shop, and as the animals are quite gentle, Mr. Scott never interposed any objections. Saturday evening little Lee started astride an old horse and leading another. The fountain was reached in safety and the return up the alley to the stable begun. The lad, however, before starting on his return made what proved to be a fatal mistake. He made a slip knot in the halter of the horse he was leading and put the noose over his wrist. Just about the time he was in the rear of J. W. Cumberland’s residence, the horse Lee was leading shyed, dragging the poor boy off and under the startled animal’s hoofs. The horse sprang forward in fight and planted its iron shod hoof squarely on the boy’s head, crushing it like an egg shell. Then, before removing its foot, it threw up its head, snapping the thick halter squarely off and ran for the barn in terror. Mr. Scott, who stood at the gate, suspected trouble on the horse’s arrival and hurried down the alley to find the lad dead. Two or three persons who witnessed the accident were already on the spot, and it was evident that the poor child never knew what hurt him. His head was terribly crushed and the sight was a most sickening one. The remains were at once removed to the residence of his grief stricken mother. Little Lee was one of twins, his sister, Cora, surviving him. He was a bright lad and a general favorite, whose sad death carries sorrow to many homes other than his own.