Atlanta Constitution, Oct. 5, 1886 -- page 11 Column 2

MRS. WHEAT KILLED.

A Pair of Mules Back a Wagon Off a Bridge -The Result.

A horrible accident occurred at Pope's bridge on the Chattahoochee river, ten miles from Atlanta, Wednesday morning, in which Mrs. Augusta Wheat lost her life, and her nephew was hurt, and narrowly escaped death too.
Mrs. Wheat lived about fifteen miles from Atlanta, and at the time she was killed was coming to Atlanta. Early Wednesday morning, Mrs. Wheat, accompanied by her nephew, a young man named Danforth, left their home in a two horse wagon, drawn by two mules. The day was a pleasant one, the roads were good, and as the mules trotted over the road, Mrs. Wheat, nor her nephew had no thought of the terrible calamity which awaited them. In reaching Atlanta it was necessary for them to cross the Chattahoochee river. Their most direct route was by the Pope bridge, and at that bridge the accident happened. A portion of the bridge is covered, and on either side of the roofed portion the sides of the bridge are protected by guards. When the team reached the bridge, the mules hesitated in stepping upon it. Young Danforth pushed them with the whip and they finally stepped upon the bridge, but advanced jumping, prancing, and shieing. Finally they came to the covered part of the bridge and stopped. The young man tried to force them on, but they refused to move forward and began backing. The young man sprang out, and grabbing one of the mules by the bridle, attempted to lead them over the bridge. He succeeded in stopping them in their backward moving and started them through the bridge but after they had advanced a short distance they again stopped and again commenced backing. The young man lost all control of the mules, and in a second they pushed the rear end of the wagon against the guard, which gave way. The instant the guard gave way the rear wheels of the wagon dropped over the edge of the bridge, and in another second the wagon was hanging in the air and the mules were on the bridge. The mules made a desperate effort to hold their own, but were quickly drawn over the edge of the bridge, and together Mrs. Wheat, the wagon, mules, and the young man, dropped into the river, a distance of eighteen feet. The water was not deep, and the instant the young man could regain his feet he began a search for his aunt. The search resulted in finding the lady dead. He carried her to the land, and then secured help from some one near by. The body was removed to a residence, and then several persons joined in recovering the mules and wagon. Both mules were badly hurt, and one of them died soon after he was taken from the water. The wagon was almost completely demolished. Mr. Danforth was considerably bruised by the fall.