Stanley, Helen

STANLEY

Posted By: Lorelei Rusco (email)
Date: 12/30/2011 at 16:19:16

Stanley, Helen -
Helen Stanley of Corning was instantly killed and Darlene Preston of Lenox was so seriously injured that she died five hours later, when the car Darlene was driving crashed head on with a truck driven by Ted Shoemaker of Creston, about two miles east of Creston Thursday evening. The accident occurred about 8:30 when the Preston car side-swiped a truck driven by C. L. Kimball of Indianola and swerved across the road into the Shoemaker truck.

Others in the accident were: Mrs. Jennie Preston, Lenox, seriously injured, but now recovering in the Greater Community hospital at Creston. Bernice Preston, Lenox, slightly bruised. Kenneth Anderson, Creston, seriously injured, but now recovering. Ted Shoemaker, Creston, cut and bruised.

Helen Stanley, 22, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Stanley of Corning and niece of Col. Claude Stanley of Corning, was instantly killed when she was thrown through the win dshield of the Preston car. Darlene, 17, driver of the car, died about 2 o'clock Friday morning at the Greater Community hospital in Creston where she had been taken for treatment. Both girls were Drake University students and were on their way home to spend the week end.
No Inquest
Coroner A. S. Beatty of Creston, stated over the telephone Tuesday that no inquest would be held as he was satisfied that no one was at fault in the accident. He said the evidence showed that the Kimball truck was proceeding west at a slow rate of speed, probably not to exceed 15 or 20 miles per hour.
The Preston car came up behind this truck traveling at a high rate of speed and attempted to go around it but side-swiped it enough to throw the car across the road. Shoemaker, coming from the west, saw the Preston car coming and pulled his truck clear off the paving to avoid the crash. Dr. Beatty said there was from 12 to 15 feet clear space between the two trucks at the
time of the crash. The two trucks were about 75 feet apart, he said, when the Preston car started around the Kimball truck.
Hrs. Preston In Hospital
Mrs. Jennie Preston, mother of Darlene, is still in the hospital at Creston where physicians say her chances of recover, barring complications, are good. She suffered a fractured leg and hip, and lacerations about the face and forehead.
Anderson has a broken hip, broken lower jaw and bruises. Shoemaker received a severely cut hand and numerous bruises. Bernice Preston's injuries were slight, being minor cuts and bruises and she was discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment.
Details of the accident are told by the Creston News Advertiser as follows:
Near Dunphy Corner
The accident occurred about one quarter mile west of what is known as the Dunphy corner on Highway 34 east of Creston. It is believed the accident occurred about 8:30 in the evening. The Preston, car, owned by Mrs. Preston and driven by her daughter, Darlene, was going west on the highway when the accident occurred. It is believed that Miss Preston came suddenly upon a west bound truck driven by Kimball and that she turned but to pass it, crashing into the Shoemaker truck going east.

Officers said that Shoemaker, seeing what was about to happen, had driven onto the right shoulder of the highway m an effort to avoid the crash and that all of the truck was off the paving with the exception of the inside wheels which were on the curbing edge.
Vehicles Demolished
The Preston car careened into the Shoemaker truck demolishing both vehicles. The radiator of the Preston car was smashed in, the engine hood crumpled, and the windshield and cowl driven backward into the occupants
of the front; Miss Preston and Miss Stanley, both of whom were killed.

The front left wheel of the Preston car was demolished and door, glasses on the left side of the car, as well as the windshield were shattered. The steering wheel of the Preston car was torn to pieces and the post was driven within 10 Inches of the back of the front seat.

Miss Preston's death was caused by concussion of the brain. Miss Stanley, it, is believed, was thrown through the windshield at a point directly in front of the driver's seat.

Shoemaker's truck was also badly damaged on the left side the front left wheel, light and engine hood being demolished. The body of the truck was knocked off the chassis. Windshield and left door glass were shattered. Shoemaker, who was alone in the truck, which was empty, was thrown through the glass of the left front door of the cab.

The Kimball truck was not damaged. On the right side of the Preston car the only damage done was a dent in the top of the rear fender and a long groove in the car's side just above this fender. The car was a new Chevrolet. Shoemaker's truck was a Reo.
On Way Home
Mrs. Preston, accompanied by Bernice Preston, her sister-in-law, and Anderson had gone to Des Moines Thursday to bring Darlene home for the week-end. Both Miss Preston and Miss Stanley were students at Drake University in Des Moines.

Miss Stanley had intended to come home for the week-end Friday and had arranged for a ride. She heard of the Prestons making the trip Thursday
night and decided to come with them. Kimball stayed in Creston Thursday night and until last Friday morning with his brother-in-law, W. J. Adamson. He returned to Indianola late Friday morning. County attorney Marshall F. Camp notified the Warren county sheriff to tell him to return to aid In the investigation of the accident.

Anderson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Anderson, 410 North Oak street. Miss Stanley was a niece of Mrs. Sarah Stanley, 607 West Adams street. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Stanley of Corning and a niece of Col. Claude Stanley, also of Corning, a member of the state legislature.

Miss Stanley was born March 25, 1911, at Corning and graduated from the Corning high school in 1928. She completed a music course at Stephen college,Columbia, Mo., in 1930 and took one year of work at Iowa university. She was a senior at Drake university at the time of her death. At Iowa university she became a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She is survived by two brothers, Byron and Carl, Jr., both at home, in addition to her parents and other relatives. Funeral services were held . Sunday afternoon at Corning.

Miss Preston graduated from Lenox high school last spring and was a freshman at Drake university. In addition to her mother, who is still in the hospital here, and her aunt, Miss Bernice Preston, also injured in the accident, she is survived by a brother, Dick at home, and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.Chas. Preston of Lenox and Mr. and Mrs. Art Fife of Corning. Her father, Earle Preston, died two years ago.
Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Thursday November 9, 1933