Accident
Accidents were the leading cause of death in the CSI:D sample, and drowning was the leading cause of death among mortal accidents. There are myriad reasons why. Broad swaths of the American public did not know how to swim. Primary modes of transportation, especially early in the century, involved river routes. Mill ponds were prevalent. Children played outside—generally a good thing but occasionally a sad one. Perhaps the saddest of these incidents involved a mass May Day drowning at Boykin Mill Pond in 1860. Twenty-eight teenagers set off on a raft that hit a snag and more than twenty-five drowned, including all five children from one family. Sadder still may be the case of Noah Wesley Dawkins. In mid-June 1888, Dawkins and his friends, all African Americans, set off for a local watering hole where they ran into three white boys, one of whom offered Dawkins fifty cents if he would walk into a particular area in the creek, assuring him it wasn’t deep. It was deep, and Dawkins drowned. It is tempting to classify this as a homicide, but it is clear from testimony that the white children thought they were playing a cruel trick, not a deadly one.
Alcohol was such a critical indirect cause in so many of the accidental drownings, shootings, fires, and falls in CSI:D that it really ought to be regarded the deadliest force in nineteenth century South Carolina. In addition to these indirect roles, alcohol was the direct cause of accidental death in more than sixty cases. It was probably also a direct cause in many of the ‘exposure’ cases—bodies that were discovered outside and were thought to have died from exposure to the elements.
Nineteenth century law enforcement had no recourse to blood-alcohol tests. Even today, determining precise BACs postmortem, and working back from those to levels of inebriation at time of death, is fraught with difficulty. This meant that nineteenth-century coroners had to rely exclusively on witness testimony and the known habits of the deceased to determine alcohol’s role in producing death. Standing around a dead man, jurors found themselves passing judgment on just how drunk he had been the night before. According to witnesses, John Goodlett “seemed to be drunk.” John Agner was “sorry he was drunk.” Abe Waganan was “very funny & lively”—very drunk as [was] his custom.” Is ‘very drunk’ drop-dead drunk? It is hard to know. On the night of January 15, 1816, Angus McQueen drank more than half a gallon of spirits. “The dec’d was very much intoxicated,” noted one witness, “and fell down four times during which time he vomited upon the carpet.” Because McQueen kept getting up and falling down, the jurors determined that the falls (and the winter cold) contributed to his demise, though it is equally possible that McQueen died of alcohol poisoning. Juries were more likely to fix upon ‘intemperance’ as a clear cause of death if the deceased was a notorious addict. In December 1842, H. P. Church was discovered by his land-lady sprawled half on and half off of his bed. A “habitual drunkard” who had been continuously drinking for two weeks, she did not even bother to try and shake him awake. The inquest did not hesitate in finding that Church had died of intoxication.
The third leading cause of accidental deaths were ‘vehicular’ accidents, a catch-all category that includes drunken falls from a train and sober buckings from a horse. Further complicating this picture is the fact that many of the drownings probably belong in this category. There is little difference between falling unwitnessed off of a train and off of a boat, except that in one case you land on tracks and are quickly found where in the other you wash downstream, far from the site of the accident.
Bartholomew Darby was thrown from the saddle and hit his head on a stump, his wagon then “running over his head ... & breaking his neck & deeply cutting him under the right ear.” Steve Yeldell fell out of his cart and broke his neck.
All such accidents pale in comparison to the staggering mortality brought to South Carolina by train. Richard Springs was “run over by a train.” Fannie Ford was “run over by a train.”A slave named Sam was “Run over by [a] train.” Almost as soon as trains arrived in these counties, there were sots to fall off of them, laborers to be crushed by them, and depressives to jump in front of them. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a technological innovation responsible for a sharper uptick in the per capita death rate. It is also clear that coroners and inquest juries were unprepared for the level of bodily violence meted out by train. The body of a slave named Berry was “very much mashed and limbs and bones severed.” William Abbott’s body was “mangled, bruised, cut and crushed.” Even so coroners and their juries were often at pains to absolve the railroad itself of any wrong-doing. Hosea Jackson “came to his death by his own carelessness and from no carelessness whatever on the part of the engineer.” The crushing of William Roberts was likewise “not caused by any dereliction of duty on the part of the rail-road employees.” With train accidents we see for the first time the question of corporate responsibility, and potential corporate liability, creeping into the inquest process.
The larger point, however, is a physical one. Moving the body at a faster speed than the body was designed to go is an enormous convenience that has to be paid for. Today vehicular accidents (car, motorcycle, and all-terrain-vehicle) are the fourth-leading cause of death among Americans after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The nineteenth century was not particularly different, except that families moved by horse, wagon, and train—and died less often of cancer.
The fourth leading cause of accidental death in the CSI:D sample involved the discharge of firearms. Some were simple cases of men who were cleaning or handling weapons that suddenly went off. The vast majority of cases, however, involve an unfortunate bystander. In 1849, Tilman Attaway was mistaken for a turkey by his hunting buddy. In 1808, James Spradley was leaning in to watch two dogs fight over a dead deer. Fourteen-year old George Nettles sought to break up the dogs by bashing one of them with the butt of his gun. Instead the gun discharged into Spradley’s face. As this case attests, guns and children made as disastrous a pairing then as they do now. In 1820 ten-year old Mancel King accidentally shot and killed his brother. In 1899 ten-year old John McManus shot and killed his friend. “I was fooling with the pistol and it went off,” he told the inquest.
Undoubtedly some of these gun-related ‘accidents’ were not accidents at all. A dead man alone in a room might have been cleaning his gun, or he might have harbored hidden miseries. Similarly some of the accidental misfires on bystanders were probably intentional homicides. Unless new evidence emerges at this late date, however, such cases will have to remain categorized as accidents.
The fifth leading cause of death by accident in the CSI:D sample was death by suffocation—another category that speaks more to what a coroner was called to investigate than to what people actually died from. A majority of the ‘smothering’ deaths were probably SIDS victims. In white households such cases would not have been investigated—infant mortality was relatively high in the period and a white family’s ‘dear pledges’ were often ‘recalled to God.’ But in a society where every enslaved child was as potentially valuable as a Lexus, infant death in the quarter was more rigorously investigated. Coupled with deep prejudices against enslaved mothers, inquests typically found that an unnamed “negro Child” was “negligently Smothered” by its mother, or that the enslaved child Lora was “accidentally smothered” in the family bed, or that the enslaved children Henry and Alcy were crushed in the night, having being “overlaid” by their parents. It is possible that such ‘negligence’ did occur among overworked and overtired slaves, and such findings were far preferable to those cases where enslaved parents were charged with infanticide.
The sixth leading cause of death by accident in the CSI:D sample was death by fire. Most homes in the period were made of wood. Most had fireplaces. None had a fire extinguisher. Fire was light and life, but it was also occasionally death. In 1866 a freedman named Sloan was burnt to death in a gin house. In 1890 a child named Julia Hightower wandered too close to the family fireplace. Her younger sister tried to dowse her with water to no avail.
These six types of accidental death—drowning, alcohol abuse, transportation mishaps, gun miscues, suffocations, and fires—account for 75% of the accidental deaths in the CSI:D sample. Other relatively common accidents involved falling trees and limbs, industrial accidents, and poisonings and overdoses. Rounding out the sample were accidents that were more unique. Home alone, Medora Williams had an epileptic seizure and fell into her own fireplace. Traveling with the Bailey & Company circus, George West was gored by his own elephant. (Some might not consider this an ‘accident’ since the elephant had ‘cause’; and acted with ‘intent.’)
NEXT: Natural Causes
Accident Inquests
Name | Deceased Description | Date | Inquest Location | Death Method | Inquest Finding |
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Fred Hanna | November 27, 1939 | at Ruby, S.C., Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Fred Hanna received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by automobile in the hands of T. G. Griggs, Jr. |
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Loucille Pate Cassidy | June 19, 1939 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Loucille Pate Cassidy received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by a pistol |
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John Davis | June 19, 1939 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that John Davis received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by automobile collision in the hands of Wilson Smith |
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James Sellers | May 12, 1939 | at Cheraw, S.C., Chesterfield County, SC | train |
upon their oaths do say that James Sellers received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Seaboard Train #2 in the hands of W. W. Shoemaker |
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Charlie Myers | April 19, 1939 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Charlie Myers received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Stuck by automobile in the hands of Thomas Gregory |
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Albert W. Wilkins | November 22, 1938 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths do say that Albert W. Wilkins received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Truck-operated by Cheraw state park in the hands of G. E. Parnell |
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Ida Edwards | October 1, 1938 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
[No official declaration] |
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Lawson L. Rhodes | July 15, 1938 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Lawson L. Rhodes received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by automobile-motorcycle accident in the hands of C. C. Anderson |
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Lincoln Gregory | March 5, 1938 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Lincoln Gregory received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Rifle Shot in the hands of Bryalus McManns |
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Faye Bennett | February 6, 1938 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Faye Bennett received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Being struck by automobile in the hands of J. M. McDonald |
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Lawrence Wright | January 10, 1938 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | train |
upon their oaths do say that Lawrence Wright received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by apparently by train (Seaboard) in the hands of apparently by train (Seaboard) |
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Nettie Mae Bennett | November 9, 1937 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Nettie Mae Bennett received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by shot gun in the hands in the hands of Derk Gardin (accidental) |
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Earnest Tolson | August 31, 1937 | at Patrick, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Earnest Tolson received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Stuck By Automobile Motor in the hands of Edward Tolson (accidental means) |
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John Rushing | July 3, 1937 | at City Hall, Pageland, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
We the undersigned Coroner and Jury find that John Rushing came to his death by auto-wagon col in the hands of Olin Lowery |
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Joshua Johns | May 17, 1937 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Joshua Johns received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Fred W. Hinson with automobile in the hands of anautomobile accident |
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Murray P. Humphrey | March 3, 1937 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say Murray P. Humphrey received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by car and wagon collision in the hands of some bring unavoidable accident |
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James Lee | March 1, 1937 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that James Lee received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Exposure Caused by Extreme Drunkenness |
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Hardy Lindsay | February 16, 1937 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Hardy Lindsay received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Motor Vehicle in the hands of parties unknown |
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Lester C. Clanton | January 15, 1937 | at Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Lester C. Clanton received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by car and wagon collision in the hands of Arial Johnson |
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LeRoy Hancock | December 15, 1936 | at Mt. Croghan, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Leroy Hancock received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by automobile in the hands of James C. Crawford |
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Grafton Mims | December 14, 1936 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
[No official declaration] |
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Beauregard Alson Jr. | August 4, 1936 | at Middendorf, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Beauregard Alson & Helen Boykin received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Automobile Collision at the hands of Robert Davis |
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Helen Boykin | August 4, 1936 | at Middendorf, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Beauregard Alson & Helen Boykin received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Automobile Collision at the hands of Robert Davis |
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Charlie Nivers | June 2, 1936 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Charlie Nivers received in _____ County a mortal wound by Struck by automobile in the hands of Earle Goodman |
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Fleetwood Moody | May 20, 1936 | at Patrick, Chesterfield County, SC |
Upon their oaths do say that Fleetwood Moody received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Burned in the hands of origin unknown . . . came to his death from burns and suffocation origin unknown |
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Juanita White | May 10, 1936 | at Chesterfield, SC, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Juanita White received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by automobile in the hands of G. W. Hutford |
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Elmer Brookfield | March 17, 1936 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that Elmer Brookfield received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Shot Gun in the hands of Woodroe McQunn |
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J. B. Deas | February 6, 1936 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that J. B. Deas received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Single Barrell Shot gun in the hands of Durant Easterling & Sinclair Sellers |
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Robert Harold Mills | January 29, 1936 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths do say that Robert Harold Mills received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Truck in the hands of Keith Kirkley |
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Elizabeth Hughes | December 26, 1935 | at McBee, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
that Elizabeth Hughes received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by unavoidable automobile accident in the hands of Mrs. Rubye Brown on the 22 day of December 1935, and that from such mortal wound deceased died in Camden Hospital |
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Mma Mildred McDonald | September 30, 1935 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Mia Mildred McDonald received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by being struck by an automobile in the hands of Frank Stokes, Jr. |
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Willie Ford | July 1, 1935 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC | baseball |
[No official declaration] |
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Howard G. Laney | June 17, 1935 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | shovel |
upon their oaths do say that Howard G. Laney received un Chesterfield County a mortal wound by part of a gas shovel in the hands of R. E. Craft, employee of S.C. Highway Dept. . . . said shovel being in bad and unsafe state of repair ad caused death by accident. |
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George Gardner | January 22, 1935 | in Chesterfield County, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their Oaths do say that George Gardner received . . . mortal wound by Rifle Shot in the hand of Rance Cue some being unavoidable accident |
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T. B. Weatherford | January 1, 1935 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | mule |
upon their oaths do say that T.B. Weatherford received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by appearantly By his Mule |
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Jack Williams | December 26, 1934 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Jack Williams received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Automobile collision in the hands of Walker Edgeworth due Reckless |
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Martin Gary Kennington | December 23, 1934 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Martin Gary Kennington received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Automobile collision in the hands of Walker Edgworth same being unavoidable accident |
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Tellman Shaw | December 16, 1934 | at McBee, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths do say that Tellman Shaw received in Chesterfield County a mortal wound by Automobile in the hands of Thos H. Boyle unavoidable accident |
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Ben Baker | September 15, 1934 | at Jefferson, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths, do say: by being hit by truck driver by Q Faulkner same being unavoidable |
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Virginia Fletcher | September 15, 1934 | at Jefferson, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths, do say: by being hit by truck driver by Q Faulkner same being unavoidable |
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Otis Terry | August 8, 1934 | at Pageland, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths, do say: being struck by By car driven by Walter Elliot same being unavoidable accident |
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Hart Byrd | September 11, 1933 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths, do say: that Hart Byrd came to his death due to careless & reckless driving at the hands of Luther Reynolds |
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Duncan Oliver | September 9, 1933 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | train |
We find that the said Duncan Oliver was killed and murdered by some person or persons or by some means to the Jurors unknown. |
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Beau Brown | August 13, 1933 | at Patrick, Chesterfield County, SC | train |
upon their oaths, so say: Beauer Brown came to his Death by being struck by an SAL Train through carlessnes on the part of the Sal rail road emploers |
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M. G. Knight | May 15, 1933 | at Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC | truck |
upon their oaths, do say: An automobile accident at the hands of James Tillie |
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Lee Campbell | December 24, 1932 | [no location given], Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths, do say: Lee Cambell came to his death from a gun shot woud who was shot by Tracy Blackwell. The shooting was acdently done. |
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Leola Sellers | June 20, 1932 | at W. A. Sellers in Cole hill, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths, do say: that Cola Sellars came to his death struck by a car Diven by Marion Johnson |
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Benjamin Franklin Zimmerman | June 18, 1932 | near Patrick, Chesterfield County, SC |
upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to his death by accidental drowning in the waters of big Juniper creek-1/2 miles north East of the Town of Patrick, S. C. |
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H. R. McLeod | June 7, 1932 | at McBee, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
upon their oaths aforesaid, do say, that the aforesaid H.R. McLeod came to his death by means of an accident unavoidable |
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Samuel Garry | July 19, 1930 | at Juniper, Chesterfield County, SC | automobile |
We find Samuel Garry came to his death by an unavoidable accident |