Friday Funny - Scared out of a year's growth

Main street in Hardin, Missouri. NOT taken on the day of mayhem.

The following is a story told in Hardin, Missouri. A Centennial History 1870-1970.

This incident happened about 60 years ago. It just proves that a mule can be stubborn and also dangerous. John Adams, a farmer living 3 miles north of Hardin came to town Monday and drove his team behind Stratton and Chase's and alighted. The team became frightened and ran down the alley. Turning east they ran across the sidewalk just north of Porte Walker's harness shop and broke several boards. They headed north and a stampede among people who happened along the street ensued. Some got away--Lord knows how, and the team made for the Bank of Hardin. They struck the posts which supports the porch in front of the bank and fell. One of the mules rolled over and struck the bank front, breaking the glass in the door, also over the transom and big plate glass. Pandemonium reigned. Several people were in the bank and made for the back door. Will Mayfield was standing in the bank and was badly cut on the hand by flying glass. How others got away we know not, but the first we saw of Vern Wall he was making tracks across Geo. Alcorn's potato patch. An inventory of the wreck showed that a sidewalk had been torn up, a wagon demolished, the bank front looked like a cyclone had struck it, one mule dead, one man badly cut about the hands, a dozen or more scared out of year's growth and still missing. The glass in the door of Marrs and Marrs barber shop, which was next to the bank, was shattered presumably by one of the artists, who was standing in the doorway when the team started his way. The team was on of the largest in the county and would average 1500 lbs. It was one of the costliest runaways that ever took place in Hardin.