Source: Wabash Plain Dealer, January 17, 1867

Last week, a pair of horses attached to a sled, ran away with Mr. Christian Harter, of this city, and he being thrown off was caught between a stump and the sled, and so badly crushed that he died next day.

Source: The Wabash Tribune, January 17, 1867

FATAL ACCIDENT. On Thursday of last week, Mr. Christian Harter, one of our oldest and best citizens was out on Falls Avenue with a large two horse sleigh assisting in moving some goods belonging to one of his neighbors, after having loaded his sleigh and in driving down the hill on the vacant lot north of the Avenue the horses became frightened and ran violently down the hill, throwing Mr. Harter from the load and directly between the sleigh and a large stump, one of the runners caught him against the stump crushing his hips badly from the effects of which he died in thirteen hours after. Mr. H. was a man universally loved in our community, and no man enjoyed to a greater extent the esteem and confidence of his fellow men. He was a useful and prominent member of the 1st Presbyterian Church of this city, noted for his christian virtues and leaves behind him a name free from blemish or reproach. There are few who knew him that will not cherish his memory as that of a really good man who has passed to his Maker without leaving an enemy behind him. His funeral was attended, on Saturday last by a large number of our citizens, and a very impressive discourse delivered at the 1st Presbyterian church by Rev. W. J. Essick.