The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-09-24
HIS NECK BROKEN.
Fatal Pail of Clarence Smith From his
Wagon-His Funeral Yesterday.

Wagcn-His Funeral Yesterday.
Clarence Smith. son of Mrs. Ann
Smith, and a grandson of the late
Greenberry Smith, fell from his
wagon while passing up Main
street Thursday night, and'was in
stantly killed. The accident hap
pened about eight O'Clock, and the
fall was so fatal that It is not be-
lieved the young man moved after
he struck the ground. DR.. Charles
Lee reached the spot within a few
minutes afterward and found life
already extinct. The body was
carried to the home of his sister,
Mrs, John Hays, and his mother,
Mrs. Ann Smith. who had just
started for a visit in Southern Ore
gon was summoned by phone from
Albany. The funeral occurred
from the mothers home at 10
o'clock yesterday morning.
Mr.. Smith had just started for
his home a couple of miles south
Of town when the accident happen
ed. He had hauled gravel all day
and in the evening had stabbed his
team temporarily in the Vidito
livery barn. About eight o'clock
he called for his team, and after it
had been hitched up, he mounted
the wagon and drove away. On
the wagon was a gravel bed, and
the young man stood on this as he
drove along. He turned the corn-
er at the First National bank, and
started south on Main street. Near
Schick's barber shop, for some un-
known reason, the driver lost his
balance, and fell. The figure struck
the ground violently and never
moved. The neck had been brok-
en- by the fall. The body rested
on one side facing the East, with
the head slightly bent forward. It
lay lengthwise of the street. A
single dusty place on one shoulder
was observable, as though that was
the spot on which the body had
struck the ground. The horses,
as soon as they learned that no
driver held the reins broke into
full speed and ran away.
But few people were on the street
when the accident happened. Two
men stood talking in front of Hodes
Bakery as the team approached.
They we're George Tharp of Alsea,
and John Hammersley. They
are perhaps the only men who saw
Smith fall. Mr.. Hammersley said:
II was standing with a companion
in front of Hodes' bakery. I saw
Smith round the corner at the
bank and turn into Main Street,
coming south. He was driving in
good tret, and standing upright
in the wagon. One leg apparently
leaned against the side of the bed.
When the team was nearly in front
of the bakery, the driver appar-
emily made move to stop. The
horses slackened their pace per-
ceptibly. as if about to come to a
halt They were then twenty feet
perhaps, from the pavement. At
the same moment, Smith fell. His
fall was backward and outward
towards the opposite side of the
street. The horses leaped immed-
lately forward, and my companion
sprang to stop them. I hurried at
once to the side of the fallen man,
and reached the spot in time to see
him give one gasp, which was
probably his last. He lay on his
left side with his head partly under
his shoulder. He did not move
a I'd was probably dead when I
reached him. A crowd soon began
to gather, and after a time the
body was placed on litter and car
ried away"
A large number of neighbors and
friends of the family and r of the
dead young man attended the fu-
neral, which occurred at 10 O. clock
yesterday morning, The service
was conducted by DR.. Thompson,
OF Independence, Several hymns
were rendered by Mrs. Lake and
Miss Spangler, and the offering of
flowers was enough to over-spread
the newly made mound with a
mantle of beauty. After the funer-
al ceremony, a long procession
wound its way to Crystal Lake
cemetery, where the interment oc-
Cured. The deceased was 2S
years of age, and was a native of
Benton county, where his life from
babyhood to death. was spent.
The surviving members of the
family are the mother, Mrs: Ann
Smith, and sister, Mrs. John
Hayes. The father died several
years ago. The family has the deep
sympathy of many friends.