Oscar Perry Heath (1924)

HEATH, MARKS, WAGGONER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/20/2014 at 13:46:07

Earlham Echo – Earlham, Iowa
July 31, 1924

INSTANTLY KILLED BY AUTO’S UPS

Oscar Heath, Farm Hand Victim of Speed Mania. Wednesday Night Trip to Town has Fatal Outcome, Driver Slightly Hurt

Oscar Perry Heath, age 58, farm hand employed by Harry McKibben was instantly killed last Wednesday night at about 10:15 when the Maxwell speedster in which he and Hugh Nesbitt were riding turned over on the White Pole Road east of Earlham. The two were returning home from the band concert and were probably traveling at a rather high rate of speed when Nesbitt, the driver attempted to pass a larger car east of the Ernest Slavens residence. As he came even with the other car it suddenly veered toward the Maxwell, and Nesbitt, fearing a collision, crowded to the side of the road and into the shallow ditch, in which the left wheels of the Maxwell traveled for some fifty feet. When the car came out of the ditch Nesbitt must have pulled to hard on the steering wheel, as it swung out of the hard road almost broadside and turned over and over, dumping out its passengers the first revolution. Nesbitt was practically uninjured and picked himself up from the road at once. His companion was close by him and never moved again. He was unlucky enough to have been struck by some iron projection on the car and death resulted from a fracture of the skull near the left ear. The latter member was partially severed, there was a large scalp wound on top of the head, and the right arm was broken. Nesbitt was probably retained in his seat by the steering wheel and the car rolled over him without crushing him.

The H. B. McKibben car was first at the scene, forming one of the procession of cars which left town in a hurry under the threat of an approaching storm. The body of Heath was removed to the side of the road and Dr. Day was summoned. He pronounced Heath dead and the body was removed to the Welch & Benson undertaking parlors the same evening. Naturally Nesbitt was bruised and shocked to some extent, but his injuries were minor.

Heath was a bachelor, who with young Nesbitt has been working at the McKibben place since the rush of farm work began. He was a brother of Mrs. Will Marks, residing between Earlham and DeSoto and Mrs. Grant Waggoner, a newcoming family of last March, residing northeast of town. He had no permanent home.

The accident was undoubtedly a combination of high speed and reckless driving. People residing along the road testify to the reckless speed at which the first cars from town hurtled down the length of the White Pole Road for home. The ditch into which Nesbitt was crowded was not deep enough to cause an accident, and a careful driver would neither have turned over nor thought he was in a dangerous place. Accidents are occasionally thrust upon the best of drivers, but eliminate the reckless element and there is no necessity for sacrificing innocent lives for the speed lust.

The identity of the other east bound car has not been ascertained. Perhaps the driver never knew the accident had occurred. He may even had no intent in forcing the Nesbitt speedster into the ditch.

Heath’s body laid at the undertaking parlors until Friday, when it was taken to Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines for burial after a service in the afternoon.