Grayson County TXGenWeb

J. B. Russell
12 October 1830 - 2 August 1897

Dallas Morning News
4 August 1897
SHAVINGS FROM SHERMAN

A Prominent Physician of Grayson County Dragged to Death by a Horse
AN EXPERIENCE THE MOST TERRIBLE

Sherman, Tex., Aug. 3 - Dr. J.B. Russell, a well-known physician residing at Old Mantua, Grayson county, is dead, and under circumstances showing he must have had a frightful experience preceding the unconscious condition in which he was found.
About 8:30 o'clock last evening parties at the Cooper farm, near Mantua, saw him pass that place riding
in a one horse road cart or gig.
It was fully an hour after this that he was found in a terrible condition near the old Jones place, some two or three miles from the Cooper farm.
His stomach and chest were tightly wedged and securely fastened between the bed of the vehicle and the wheel.
His head and shoulders were touching the ground and he was apparently dead.
It was necesary to remove the wheel before his body could be extricated.
An examination made of his hurts showed his head and shoulders to be badly cut and bruised and there were evidence of his having been dragged for some distance.
He recovered semi-consciousness and from partially intelligible statements and the general appearance of the cart and surroundings it is evident that the animal Dr. Russell was driving got from under his control and ran away, and that he fell into the position in which he was found, to be dragged to death.
He died about an hour after he began to arouse from the stuper in which he was found.
Dr. Russel was an old bachelor and quite a prominent citizen.
He was an active member of the Winnie Davis camp, U. C. V., at Van Alstyne, Grayson county, and his burial, which took place this afternoon, was under the auspices of that organization.