Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1914 — DEATH RESULTED FROM COLLISION [ARTICLE]

DEATH RESULTED FROM COLLISION

Mrs. Lewis Snsy Died From Injuries When Motorcycle Collided With L. A Sayers’ Auto. Wheatfleld Review. A motorcycle that Sunday crashed into the side of an automobile driven by Lester A. Sayers, democratic candidate for auditor of Jasper county, and principal of the Wheatfleld high sehool, brought death to Mrs. Lewis Snay, of Michigan City, at 8 o’clock Sunday evening in tiro Christian hospital, Valparaiso, where she was carried after the accident. Mrs. Snay sustained a fractured skull and her husband was badly bruised and cut. The occupants of the automobile escaped injury. Mr. and Mrs. Snay left Michigan City in the forenoon for the run to Valparaiso, where they expected to be the guests of Charles Lybarger and wife, uncle and aunt of the letter. They entered the city by way of Calumet avenue and ran at a good pace. At the Intersection with Franklin avenue they encountered the auto, driven north by Lester

A. Sayers, who was accompanied by Charles LaForce and a little girl. It is evident that the driver of the motorcycle became confused. His machine crashed into the side of the automobile, threw its burden headlong, and the woman was picked up unconscious by Sayers, LaForce and others, who ran to the scene, and carried her into the Lansdowne home. A little later she was taken to the hospital. Mr. Snay was able to rise after the accident, walked into the house and Was afterward seen around town. In the evening he returned to Michigan City to make arrangements the funeral. Mrs. Snay never recovered consciousness and died at 8 o’clock, after every means possible was employed to save her. Although no blame is attached to Sayers for the tragedy, he is nearly heartbroken over the affair. After an afternoon of intense anxiety he was induced by his relatives at Valparaiso to return to his home in Wheatfleld. Mayor Sisson came to the scene of the accident, investigated matters thoroughly, and, finding Snay, questioned him closely. It is understood that no attempt will be made by Snay to attach the blame to Sayers. Mr. and Mrs. Snay were married last September. The husband is an electrician for the South Shore railroad. Until five years ago Mrs. Snay was a resident of Valparaiso, when she moved with her parents to Michigan City. According to Chas. LaForce, Mr. Sayers was running at a slow speed. He had been in Valparaiso since Saturday morning as the guest *of Ord Hanley, brother of Mrs. Sayers, and at the time of the accident was going to the LaForce home on Franklin avenue. Mr. LaForce said he could not understand how Snay could have hit the auto. “We were on the right hand side of the street, where we should be, and were not going :asff\ said LaForce. He ventured to put the speed of the auto at eight miles per hour, and stated further that Snay seemed to be confused, as the machine which he rode took a turn toward them and Struck the automobile in the mddmoSt parts. Had the motorist kept his direct course the accident would have been averted, and had he veered* to the left in the great open space at the intersection of the streets, he would have had no chance whatever of meeting such a fate. Mrs. Sayers and daughter, Lillian, accompanied Prof. Sayers to Valparaiso. *