The San Francisco call., 1908-08-03
AUTO TRAGEDY LAID
TO ROAD CAVElN
Faulty Highway in Santa Cruz
County Is Blamed for Mar
ri0tt=Gilbert Accident

Faulty construction of the highway
between Los Gatos and the San Lo-
renzo creek region of Santa Cruz coun-
ty is held responsible by Frederick A.
Marriott Jr. for the tragic automobile
accident of Saturday afternoon in which
Mrs. Marie Marriott, wife OF Fred A.
Marriott editor Of the San Francisco
News Letter, and James ID. Gilbert, Cir
culation manager of that periodical,
lost their lives and Marriott, Miss De-
stree Marriott, daughter of the editor.
and Miss Dorothy Partridge, daughter
of John Partridge of this city and
Menlo Park, were seriously injured.
Young Marriott returned TO San Fran
cisco last night and told the details
of the tragedy.
The accident happened on level
stretch of road at the summit Of the
Bear creek road in the Santa Cruz
mountains, Il miles west of Los Gatos,
and Gilbert, who was known among his
friends as a most cautious driver, was
at the wheel The car was going at
a slow rate OF speed at the time of the
accident and the outer edge of the
roadbed, overhanging canyon, caved
in under the weight of the car and its
passengers.
The car toppled over the bank, rolled
once and was caught by two great
1 oak trees gTOWllR Oh the Dd1h OIL the
ravine. Mrs. Marriott was thrown from
the car as it Iurched downward. The
rim of the tonneau caught her at the
back of the head and broke her neck.
She died instantly.
Gilbert, at the wheel, was caught in
a peculiar way between the seat and
the steering wheel. Evidently he had
sought to Jump from the rolling car, for
his knee was uplifted and pressed
against his throat. So tightly was he
damned that he died of suffocation.
Miss Partridge had been riding on
the front seat with Gilbert and was
thrown under the radiator. The boiling
water from the radiator scaIded her Sc
yerely on the limbs, but when help
came TO assist the injured she insisted
that all the others be taken from the
wreck before she permitted herself to
be aided.
old Desiree Marriott were riding with
Mrs. Marriott. Marriott fell to the bot
tom OF the tonneau and escaped with
slight injuries The child was pulled
from the machine by the father and
suffered no serious bruises.
A young man named Tobacco wit
messed the tragedy. He hurried to the
farmhouse of George Van Lone and
brought several men to the aid of the
wrecked lOuI1tlo-
Fred Marriott Jr.. who lives in Palo
Alto, heard of the accident Saturday
evening and rushed to the scene with
John Partridge. who is a real estate
broker with offices IN the Monadnock
building, and Mrs. Partridge. They
arrived in the mountains at o'clock
Sunday morning and found that Mar
riott and the farmers had kept a sad
vigil throughout the night by the side
of the dead bodies
The injured children later in the day
were taken to the Partridge home at
Menlo Park, where Marriott senior
went. The remains of Mrs Marriott
and James Gilbert will be brought to
this city today.
Gilbert lived at S51 Page street and
left q wife and two children.
The Marriotts lived In Alameda. Mrs,
Marriott was the daughter Of Mrs.
George J. Bucknal1 OF z45s Franklin
street, this city. Fer father, DR.. Buck
nall. died three months ago. She leaves
a sister, Mrs. Jardine.
A coroner's jury visited the scene of
the accident yesterday and held an in
quest in the mountains. returning a
verdict of accidental death.
Fred Marriott Jr. said last night.
James Gilbert was the most careful
driver that / ever saw. He had inst
taken the Marriotts on 500 mile four
OF Lake and other counties. Had the
road not been defective this accident
vould net have happened