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Illinois' southern-most city is situated on the wedge of land which is formed just before the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers merge. Robert K. Taylor was living there at Cairo, IL, during the spring of 1856, and he had been encumbered with a bad leg since about mid-May. Nearly three weeks of recuperation had ameliorated his condition enough to consider returning to work in early June, but Robert K. was already planning to leave the twin-river town before the month of August would come. Right after his Cairo sojourn, Cousin Robert probably spent a little time upriver at Hawesville, KY, where the folks had discovered working in the coal mines could be dangerous. Evidently around the first of June, JOHN's arm was broken in an mining accident, and he had the fractured bone set by a 35-year-old physician, Dr. Green Sterett. On the second Sunday in June, William Wishart proceeded down to the Hawesville landing and walked aboard the waiting river craft pointed downriver to the northwest. Having left his sister MARY, her children and injured husband, and JOHN's younger brothers, William Wishart began a cruise down the Ohio which would take a little longer than he had anticipated. The lower water level common during this time of year assailed his tedious journey with unforeseen mishaps, delaying progress of the trip. A substantial amount of time was lost in recovery and repair after running aground upon sunken objects and sand bars. Having survived the challenges of Ohio River hazards, the anxious passenger was glad to finally step off the trusty vessel which the pilot had steered toward Cairo's boat landing. Before catching a northbound train which would ramble 70 miles to a ten o'clock Thursday evening arrival at DuQuoin, IL, the young mine-worker decided to stop a while in the city of Cairo and visit the recovering Robert K. Taylor. On the evening excursion up toward DuQuoin, William's trip was delayed once again by another adverse surprise when the speeding Illinois Central locomotive fatally struck a drunken "dutch man" napping between the rails upon the cross ties near Makanda, IL. All the startled nighttime travelers unloaded from halted passenger cars to view the few remaining mutilated human fragments, and then discussed the horrific spectacle with curious local folks who gathered to investigate. Since the day when he was born 30 years earlier back at the village of Gamrie in the county of Banffshire, Scotland, William Wishart had never before witnessed such a gruesome display. |
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