ROTH, Margaret 1857 - 1908

ROTH, EADEY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:28

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer June 12, 1908, 3, C7

Fairfield Woman Killed
Mrs. David ROTH was killed and her husband and daughter were fatally injured in a runaway collision at Fairfield. Their carriage collided with a heavy bus and they were thrown beneath the feet of the horses and frightfully injured. Mrs. ROTH was mangled almost beyond recognition and was dead when picked up.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows this was Margaret . She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield and was born in 1857 and died June 4, 1908.

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Added by Admin. 19 May 2019 --

"The Fairfield Daily Journal"
June 5, 1908
Page 4

DEATH AND INJURY IN MAD RUNAWAY
Mrs. David ROTH Killed Under Horses Heels.--.Husband and Daughter May Die.

A runaway accident resulting in the death of Mrs. David ROTH and the possible fatal injury of her husband and daughter, Nina, happened in this city last night about 8:15 o'clock where the Fifty-fourth Regiment band of Ottumwa was to give a concert for the benefit of Company M's new armory fund.

A bus team belonging to Art Donavon crashed into their buggy mashing it to kindling wood and crushing the occupants to the ground.

When picked up Mrs. ROTH, was alive but died before physicians could examine her. Mr. ROTH and daughter were alive but unconscious. All were carried to the McElwain yard and immediately physicians set to work trying to revive Mr. ROTH and his daughter.

Mrs. ROTH's skull was fractured her neck and right arm broken and her body cut and bruised terribly. Mr. ROTH suffered a fracture of the lower jaw and a number of cuts and bruises about the head. One ear was torn so that several stitches was necessary to sew it up. Miss Nina ROTH sustained cuts and is probably internally injured, the abdomen showing bad bruises.

Both Mr. ROTH and his daughter are conscious today and are getting along as well as could be expected. They were removed to their home on South Third street last night.

The accident coming as it did at the close of a days festivities when Parsons college students and friends had rejoiced at the news that the college was to have two handsome new buildings, and when the members of Company M were pleased at the large patronage that was being accorded them, was a shock which hushed the tones of every one who learned of it and cast a gloom over the city that will not soon be forgotten.

When the members of the Fifty fourth band escorted by the members of Company M started from the armory to Chautauqua park, rendering some beautiful march music as they passed through the square they were followed by a large crowds of happy, good natured people bent upon helping Company M to secure funds to erect a new armory. The one street to Chautauqua park was lined with people, many walking leisurely to the park, others driving their own conveyances and still others riding to the entertainment in the public cabs and buses

Mr. ROTH and his wife and daughter were driving in their own road wagon to Chautauqua park and were riding behind a gentle family horse so that no thought of harm came to them. Almost without an instants warning the large black team hitched to Donavons bus, which was filled with passengers, struck the ROTH conveyance throwing the occupants up in the air and completely demolishing the turnout. The bus and its occupants were not injured in the least and were finally stopped near thepark entrance (sic)

The occupants of the ROTH turnout were hurled to the ground and trampled under the horses feet in their mad flight. The accident was witnessed by hundreds who immediately surrounded the injured people.

Excitement ran so high that the members of Company M were called upon to surround the injured ones and keep back the frenzied people who had witnessed the affair.

The accident occurred in front of the C. S. McElwain home a few yards west of the main entrance to Chautauqua park and the street was lined with conveyances at the time. Many of the eye witnesses came near fainting from fright and the horror of the affair, and there was but little sleep in many a Fairfield home last night

In the face of this terrible catastrophe no attempt was made to have the concert and the large crowds returned to their homes sick with horror at the out come of the accident

Floyd Angstead, a young man about twenty years of age, was driving the team which was hitched to the bus when the accident occurred.

Ten young people were passengers in the bus and Roy McKee, one of the publishers of the Fairfield Tribune, was occupying the seat with the driver. He was a passenger but climbed upon the driver's seat to make room for some young ladies inside the bus. The passengers in the bus were: Harry Conner, Bert Dill and two young men whose names could not be obtained, Charles Carter who was standing on the rear step, and the Misses Rosalie Harris, Ethel Glasgow, Anna Anderson, Mary Anderson and Marie McClelland.

Mr. McKee in an interview this morning said:

"The bus load of us started down Burlington street toward the park and I was on the seat with the driver for the bus was crowded.

When we were near I. D. Jones' Howard's automobile backed out of the street running south and started to turn around to come west. It was running slow and the occupants were careful.

One of the horses squatted down almost to the pavement when the automobile passed it and when it straightened up again it took the bit in its teeth and went Then the other horse went with it. I kept my hands off of the lines for a short distance for I knew that any one interfering with a driver sometimes gets him rattledand (sic) does more harm than good. When I saw that Angstead couldn't control the team alone I grabbed hold of the lines and tried to assist him.

We were going to try to turn the horses off on that street running southeast past McElwains but as we neared there we saw the street full of buggies. We saw an alley way between teams ahead of us and thought we could get through alright without hitting anyone and then get the horses stopped.

Mr. ROTH pulled into the road from the side just about even with the McElwain home when we were within twenty feet of him. We tried to steer the horses into a telegraph pole then but couldn't check them at all and there was nothing else but to strike the carriage of Mr. ROTH's. The horses struck the buggy squarely and mashed it to pieces and the occupants were mixed up in the wreckage. The bus horses run a short distance and fell, and I jumped out and grabbed the bits by the time they were up again. No one was hurt in the bus although every one was shocked at the accident. The thing was one of those unavoidable accidents for which no one is to blame.

The horses had been used to automobiles and should not have been frightened at an auto, and those in charge of the machine were careful and managed the machine in good shape. It was a terrible accident.

C. U. Emry, a member of the fire company was one of the first to reach the unfortunate victims. He says: "We were on the hose wagon when we seen the team coming, the fire team had just cleared the path of the runaway team and we saw ROTH drive into the road, and saw there was nothing could prevent the team from striking the occupants of the buggy, we hallowed but ROTH didn't hear us in time.

[Note: The park's ticket office burned and the fire department had just put the fire out.]

I jumped down off the wagon and was almost the first one to the injured people. It was an awful sight. I helped carry Mrs ROTH to the McElwain yard and telephoned for the doctors We had been taking up the dirty hose from the street and Mr. ROTH had waited to one side of the road until we had finished. He had just drove back into the street and probably did not know the team was coming. He was dragged about ten feet from the women.

Dr. J. S. Gaumer Says: I was passing the residence of Dr. Bock about a block from the corner of I. D. Jones' home on my way to concert when I heard horses running and turned and saw the big bus full of passengers and the horses coming on a gallop, at least two men had hold of the lines when I saw them. I hurried on down toward the park and learned that they had struck the ROTH buggy. I helped to care for the injured ones. Mr. Campbell, the undertaker, was there and took charge of the remains of Mrs. ROTH.

Art Donovan owner of the hack and team stated this morning that it was not his hearse team which ran away. The team was one purchased in Muscatine last December and had never run away before.

Mr. Donovan, who was almost prostrated by the accident, says that the team is considered gentle and that Mrs. Donovan drives the horses frequently both single and double.

By the unanimous consent of every body concerned the band concert was called off and Company M is permitted to keep the money they had collected for tickets.

In order not to disappoint the many friends of Company M who desired to hear the 54th Regiment band, there will be arrangements made for the return of this organization to this city when a concert till be given at a very small admission fee.

Mrs. A. V. Frazey and sons and Mrs. Jay Copeland had narrow escapes from the accident. The bus team in falling lay close against the wheels of Mrs. Frazey's buggy and had the team have taken but one more lunge before they fell they would have crushed the occupants to death. Mrs. Copeland was fortunate in escaping with the loss of a shoe.

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"The Fairfield Journal"
Monday, June 8, 1908
Page 6

The remains of Mrs. David ROTH and daughter Miss Nina who were victims of the terrible runaway accident which occurred on East Burlington Street Thursday evening, were laid to rest Sunday afternoon in Evergreen cemetery.

Short services consisting of the reading of the twenty third psalm and prayer by the Rev. Thomas Osborn of the Methodist Episcopal church, were held at the home on South Third street. These services were brief and private owing to the condition of the husband and father. Only the relatives were present.

The pall bearers were all intimate friends of the family. Six young ladies dressed in white carried the remains of their friend and companion, Miss Nina ROTH to the last resting place. They were, Misses Elma Gregg, Cora Jones, Eva George, Bertha Gobble, Anna and Carrie Stever.

Messrs. Scott A. Power, R. H. Spence, H. H. Jones, C. E. Ward, C. R. McPeek and E. A. Young reverently bore the body of Mrs. ROTH to its last resting place.

In one large grave the bodies of mother and daughter were placed side by side to await the resurrection day.

Willing hands of scores of friends had lined the grave with flowers so that is was amid numerous beautiful blossoms the mother and daughter were laid to rest.

Although the funeral services were private at the home a large crowd of nearly 600 friends gathered at the cemetery to pay their last respects to the departed

Mrs. ROTH, who was Margaret J EADEY, was born in Ontario, Canada July 11, 1857 and in early young womanhood was married to David ROTH. For some time after they were married Mr. and Mrs. ROTH made their home in Trenton where on June 29, 1882 their daughter, Miss Nina, was born.

Mr. and Mrs. ROTH and daughter moved to Packwood from Trenton and were residents of the former city nearly twenty years where they gained the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends.

About 1904 the family moved to this city where Mr. ROTH engaged in the real estate business and is at the present time a member of the firm of Roth & Jones.

The family were active workers in the Methodist church and the daughter was quite popular in the social circles of the city. Among the young people of the Methodist church she was a favorite and her sad death is a great shock to all.

Mrs. ROTH has been in ill health for several months past but had sufficiently recovered to be able to be up and around. Thinking that a change of climate would prove beneficial Mr. ROTH had completed every preparation for her to take an extended trip to the east during which she was to visit her aged mother in Detroit, Mich. Plans were made for her to leave on Tuesday June 9 for this trip when the terrible accident occurred Thursday evening resulting in her death and the death of her daughter only twenty four hours afterward. The condition of the bereaved husband and father is reported to be somewhat better today.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Margaret and Nina ROTH are buried in Lot 2nd.021 at Evergreen Cemetery.