Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 170, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1918 — FATAL ACCIDENT IN AUTO CRASH [ARTICLE]

FATAL ACCIDENT IN AUTO CRASH

FLORA AUTOMOBILE HIT BY MONON TRAIN—ONE DEAD, TWO INJURED. Battle Ground was the scene of a terrible tragedy Sunday afternoon at 5:20 o’clock, when a north bound Monon passenger train struck an automobile containing six young people from Flora. Miss Mary Allbaugh, age seventeen years was instantly killed, John Weaver, age twenty-one and Fern Minnix, were very severely injured, the other members of the party were Bethel Minnix, Ethel Minnix and Harry Arnold were not hurt. Mr. Weaver was driving the car and Bethel Minnix was in the front seat with him. Miss Fern Minnix was sitting on a camp stool and the other members of the party were in the rear seat. Mr. Weaver seemed to become confused as he noticed the approach of the fast Running Monon passenger train.

Eye witnesses of the tragedy think that Weaver attempted to reverse his car and killed his engine as the car stood squarely upon the track. It seemed that for a moment every member of the party was stupified and sat perfectly still. The three that were unjured succeeded in leaping free of the train. The others were not able to get away. Miss Allbaugh, who was seated on the side next to the approaching train jumped in front of the engine. She was hurled some twenty-five feet in the air and when her body struck the ground it bounced high into the air again and landed some fifteen feet from the place where the accident occurred. Mr. Weaver and Miss Fern Minnix did not get out of the car and were hurled with it some sixty feet. How they escaped instant death is a miracle at the car was completely demolished. Miss Fern Minnix was badly cut and bruised. Mr. Weaver sustained several bruises, his back is badly injured and he is thought to be hurt internally. They were taken to a Lafayette hospital and it is thought they recover.