Automobile Tragedy Costs One Life

BLOW, BENNETT, BYE, ABEL, MCMURRAY, SWISHER, MANLY, TALBOTT

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/15/2011 at 23:54:12

The Grinnell Herald; Oct. 17, 1913

AUTOMOBILE TRAGEDY COSTS ONE LIFE

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Mrs. Keith Blow Is Fatally Hurt When F.L. Abel's Car Goes Off Embankment Near Tama.

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TROUBLE WITH STEERING GEAR CAUSES ACCIDENT

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Mrs. L.C. Bennett, unconscious (?) Hours, Is Now Reported to be Recovering.

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Carried in a moment from happy laughing security into the crash and appalling danger of an automobile accident a party of Grinnell people was spent Wednesday on a fishing expedition near Tama passed through one of the experiences which mark for life on Wednesday evening.

Mrs. Keith Blow is dead.

Mrs. L.C. Bennett is recovering from a severe concussion of the brain.

Miss Josephine Bye is suffering from a double fracture of the hip bone.

F.L. Abel has a broken rib.

The other members of the party, Mrs. F.L. Abel, Mr. Blow and Mrs. Bennett's little baby, all came through unscathed.

It was a sad ending to a happy day. Mr. Abel gathered this party of relatives and friends on Wednesday morning for an expedition into the country. Mr. Blow is a brother of Mrs. Abel and is closely associated with Mr. Abel in business. Miss Bye is Mr. Abel's stenographer. The party, traveling in Mr. Abel's big Cross Country Rambler car, made the run to Long Point, five miles east of Tama. A good place for picnicing was found and several pleasant hours were passed.

As evening came on, the party packed up and started on the way home. The big car threaded its way out of the woods and gained the road. A big bridge was passed and then there lay ahead another smaller bridge, reached by a strip of made road, raised about six feet by an embankment; a bad place; so narrow that it was not wide enough for a team and a car to pass.

Mr. Abel was taking this bad strip of road at low speed. He was running six or seven miles an hour. The women of the party were just settling themselves in their rugs for the run home. Mr. Abel noticed that the car was veering to the right. He tried to turn it but it did not respond. The edge of the embankment was growing closer. He set his emergency brake. The car stopped within ten feet, but even then it was too close to the crumbling edge. For a moment it wavered, then slowly toppled over, turned upside down and crashed to the bottom of the grade.

As the car began to fall, Mr. Blow jumped clear of the wreck and landed safely. Mrs. Abel was thrown clear and was unhurt. Miss Bye was also thrown clear, but was hurt in the fall. All the others were caught under the car; Mrs. Blow and Mrs. Bennett under the framework at the rear and Mr. Abel held down by the front seat. Mrs. Bennett had the baby in her arms. Most wonderfully it was unhurt.

Mr. Blow was helpless to aid those imprisoned under the heavy car. He remembered that he had seen a gang of section hands at Long Point, about a mile away. He ran there for aid. Before he left Mrs. Blow assured him from under the car that she was not much hurt and was all right. During his absence Miss Bye, injured as she was, managed to reach the car and take the baby.

Considerable time necessarily elaped before Mr. Blow returned with all the section hands he could find, but the number was not sufficient to raise the car. When an attempt was made, it forced the car down so heavily upon Mr. Abel that the men desisted at once. More help was procured as soon as possible and this time the car was raised.

Mrs. Blow was barely breathing when drawn from beneath the weight which had crushed her. She had sustained injuries to the chest which caused her death. It is not thought that she was in pain at any time. Mrs. Bennett had been unconscious from the first and lay like one dead. It was thought then that she could not possibly recover. Mr. Abel was not so badly hurt but that he was able to walk to the store at Long Point and telephone to Grinnell. His message was the first whisper to reach here that anything was wrong and it was not received until 8:30 o'clock.

In a surprisingly short space of time J.H. McMurray, Jr.'s and M.W. Swisher's cars were racing through the night toward Tama, carrying Mr. Bennett, John and Charles Manly, Dr. E.F. Talbott and O.B. Mathews to the scene of the disaster. When the rescuers reached Tama they found that the members of the unfortunate party had been brought there and that the injured were being given all possible attention.

A little later the members of the Bye family, who had been sent for, also arrived by automobile.

It was raining by this time so none of the Grinnell people attempted to return by automoble. Instead, they waited over and came down by train the next morning, changing at Marshalltown and reaching Grinnell on the 10 o'clock M.& St.L. train from the north. Mrs. Bennett was left behind, her condition being considered too serious to permit her to be moved. Mr. Bennett remained with her. Miss Josephine Bye and the body of Mrs. Blow were also brought on this train.

Word from Mrs. Bennett this morning is most encouraging. She is regaining consciousness and is able to recognize her husband and friends. Barring unforeseen complications her recovery is considered assured.

J.H. McMurray, Jr., and O.B. Mathews superintended the removal of the capsized car yesterday. The car is not greatly damaged, beyond the smashing of the windshield and other exposed parts. It was run into Tama under its own power and could be steered, though the tendency to veer to the right which caused the accident was noticeable.

All Grinnell has been plunged into sorrow by this tragedy. Mrs. Blow was the daugher of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Manly, residents of Grinnell for many years and universally esteemed. Mr. Manly, through long service on the Board of Supervisors, made an acquaintance covering the entire county. Everywhere expressions of sympathy for parents, husband and brothers are heard in this hour of bereavement.

The funeral was held from the Manly home at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Professor S.J. Buck conducted the services. There was no music. The pall bearers were: H.G. Lyman. L.H. Rinefort, H.M. Harris, F.M. Bartling, W.J. Nelson and M.W. Swisher. Interment was in Hazelwood cemetery.

No blame attaches to anyone for the accident. Mr. Abel is an experienced and careful driver. He was driving slowly and carefully when the accident occurred. It was one of the things which cannot be explained. They just happen.