Alarming Accident to a Rushden Man
Cyclist’s Collision With A Cow - A Terrible Tramp Through The Night

Yesterday, upon inquiry we were informed that the condition of Mr. William Spriggs, sen., of Gordon-terrace, Rushden Hill, who met with a terrible accident on Saturday evening, Aug. 17th, showed some improvement.

Mr. Spriggs had cycled to Warmington, near Oundle, to meet two relatives, in order to bring them back with him to Rushden, and he met with the accident on the return journey about ten o’clock. The night was a very dark one. Just before reaching Thrapston, Mr. Spriggs and his two friends, who also were cycling, ran into some cows which had strayed on to the road. In the dark Mr. Spriggs could not see the cows, and collided heavily with one of the animals, with the result that he was pitched off his machine head foremost, sustaining concussion of the brain.

For half-an-hour he remained unconscious, and the young men who were with him found themselves helpless in the dark, not knowing the road at all. When Mr. Spriggs had recovered sufficiently to attempt to resume the journey, it was found that the bicycle had been injured too much to be of use. Mr. Spriggs managed to walk to Thrapston, and his friends wheeled his machine. By the time they got to Thrapston it was half-past eleven o’clock and they could find no one up. Very pluckily the sufferer said he would try and walk to Rushden, but they must have missed the road, and they got a long distance out of their way. Eventually about ten o’clock on Sunday morning the three found themselves at Irthlingborough. Here a trap was procured, and the sufferer was driven home, after twelve hours’ terrible experience.

Dr. Crew and Dr. Greenfield have since been in attendance upon the patient, who was for some time in a state of semi-consciousness.