Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1912 — “JOY RIDE” ENDS IN DEATH OF YOUNG LADY [ARTICLE]

“JOY RIDE” ENDS IN DEATH OF YOUNG LADY

Enolia Retherford, of West Lafayette, Victim of Auto Wreck on Sunday Afternoon.

MAN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE Pleasure Trip of Three Medaryville and Three Lafayette Girls Came to An Abrupt and Unfortunate Ending When Machine Went Into Ditch East of Rensselaer. Going at a high rate of speed, an automobile containing six persons turned turtle in a ditch near the Elizabeth P. Alter farm, one and onehalf miles east of here, at about l:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon, and killed Enolia Retherford, of West Lafayette. The other occupants of the car were Miss Ruth Davis and May Jolly, both of Lafayette, and three Medaryville men, Orris Ballard, a locomotive fireman, Scott Lanan, a barber, and Chas. Franks, a hardware dealer and owner of the automobile. Miss Retherford was riding in the back seat with three of the other companions when the accident occurred. The machine turned completely over, the body of the back seat pinning her head to the ground, crushing her skull and made several lacerations on her forehead. Her death was instantaneous. Scott Lanan and May Jolly were also pinned under the machine, Lanan being temporarily stunned, and May Jolly receiving several bruises and flesh punctures on the body and right arm. The others were thrown clear of the car when the accident happened, receiving only a few minor bruises. After the machine was righted by farmers who saw the accident, it was found that the right rear wheel was completely demolished. The occupants of the machine claim that the spokes broke out of the wheel and let the machine down, which caused the accident. However, witnesses of the accident say that the machine was going about 30 or 35 miles an hour and that the occupants were laughing'and shouting as they flew by and that the machine was taking a zig-zag course in the road. Examination almost immediately after the accident showed: that for two or three hundred yards the machine had taken a very unsteady course, going from one side of the road to the other. Approaching the scene of the terrible accident, where the Retherford girl was crushed to death, the tracks indicated that the machine had almost taken to the ditch on the south side of the road. In an endeavor to avert taking the ditch there, the driver steered almost straight across the road to the ditch on the north side. The machine hung perpendicular as it swerved for 60 feet over the five foot embankment, and before the occupants had time to realize what was happening, the machine took the fatal plunge, striking the north side of the embankment and then rebounding to the bottom of the ditch, top side down, killing one girl and rendering helpless all but two of the party. When the body of Miss Retherford was extricated from the ruins, life was quite gone. Dr. Gwin was the first to respond to the call for aid, arriving a few short minutes after the acciednt. News of the accident spread like wild fire and it was not long before a multitude of morbid and curious townspeople closed in on the scene. The road was alive with vehicles for hours afterwards, of people from all parts of the county. Coroner W. J. Wright was called and moved the body of Miss Retherford to his undertaking parlors. Those involved in the accident were all nonresidents and the inquest was not held until after 7 o’clock. Evidence was brought out to the effect that May Jolly was at the wheel when the accident occurred, seated in the lap of Charles Franks, they being the sole occupants of the front seat. That part of the party, If not all, had been drinking was brought out in the inquest, when Ballard testified that he and Lanan had indulged on leaving Medaryville. The girls left Lafayette at 8:45 o’clock Sunday morning for Monon, where they were met by the men in the Lambert five-

passenger car, which was comparatively new and in goad working order. The machine was owned by Franks, who is a hardware merchant at Medaryville, and who testified that at that time he did auto livery business. However, he admitted that he was not hired to drive yesterday but went for bis own pleasure. After leaving Monon the party started for Rensselaer, where they intended to take dinner. A 'short way out of Monon May Jolly exchanged seats witty a girl in the front seat and took charge of the steering wheel, which she retained until the trip was brought to the tragic end. Shortly after the machine was righted, Ballard, who was almost crazed at the time, drew a revolver from his pocket and was in the act of pressing it to his head, when a bystander saw the move and wrested it frqm his hand. It war found that the revolver was unloaded and it was returned to him. Later on Ballard was discovered crouched at the rear of the machine. He only had two cartridges, which he had loaded in the revolver. He had pulled the trigger twice in the attempt at self destruction, bitt had not turned to the full chambers of the Dr. Gwih was on him in a flash and aften a short wrestling Ballard was overpowered and the gun wrested from his grast Examination showed that the next shot would have been fatal. With the pulling of the trigger the second time Ballard had revolved the magazine •to .the first dealy chamber, which, but for the quick action of bystanders, would have added another chapter, to-the already terrible tragedy. Miss Retherford’s sister, Mrs. Myrtle Watts, of West Lafayette, with whom she stayed Saturday night, pleaded with her not to go, but when Miss Retherford told her that they were going to visit at the home of one of the girl’s uncles, she reluctantly gave her consent: None of the party seemed to have any definite plans as to where they were going after they got to Rensselaer, but it is generally ,understand, that camp was their destination. ■ About.an hour-after the accident a telephone message Was! sent to the dead girl’s father, Wm.>-Retherford, at Lafayette, stating that his daughter was. seriously injured. Tbe first‘inti mation he received of her death was when he arrived here Sunday evening at 5:44. He was met at the station by the girl’s companions, who were the first to break the sad news. Mr. Retherford arranged to have the body sent to Lafayette this Monday morning and he returned to Lafayette Sunday night. The men of the party, Ballard, Franks and Lanan, willingly volunteerd to pay for the casket and to stand for all expenses attendant tq the funeral. As Mr. Retherford is a poor laboring man, he was prevailed upon to accept their offer. The remains of Miss Retherford were sent to Lafayette at 11:20 o’clock this morning, and were accompanied by the girl’s companions, Rose Cooper, May Jolly and the men from Medaryville, all of whom'remained herq last night to act as escorts to their unfortunate companion. Enolia Retherford was only 18 years of age and tbe youngest one of the party. She resided most of the time at her father’s home at Ferndale, in Happy Hollow, a short distance out of Lafayette. Miss Rose Cooper was 22 years of age and was known also as Rose Davis, which name she gave here, while May Jolly is 21 years of age. She was formerly Miss May Steele and is well known around here. When a small baby she was adopted by Isaac Saidla, of Milroy township, and lived there until she grew to ■young womanhood. She worked at the Makeever hotel several years ago and was married to a man whose name, it is alleged, she now bears. She is an office girl employed by Dr. Wilson, of Lafayette. Her brother, Fred Steel, who lived here for .a mhnber of years, is now in the United States army, serving on the Panama canal. Orris Ballard, who is a cousin of George Scott, of this city, gained some notoriety some years ago, when his attempted elopement with Hazel HamMedaryville, was forestalled byAar lrate father.