Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-08
AUTOISTS DROP
INTO RIVER AND
a MEET DEATH
WOMEN DROWNED AS RESULT
OF ACCIDENT
RESIDENTS OF WOODLAND ARE
AMONG VICTIMS
Wives of Editor and Postmaster and
Latter's Relatives Perish In Waters
of cramento-chauffeu
Loses Control
tBy Associated Press.l

II NIGHTS LANDING, June -Four
IL women were drowned tonight in
"A the Sacramento river when a
large automobile in which they were
riding toppled into the stream after the
driver had lost control of the machine.
The chauffeur was rescued. The dead:
MRS. w. F. NIXON, wife of the ed
itor of the Woodland Mail.
MRS. j. H. DUNCAN, wife of the
postmaster at Woodland.
MISS MERYL DUNCAN, daughter
of Mrs. DUNCAN.
MISS JULIA DUNCAN, Mrs. Dun
gans sister-in-law.
Joseph Armstrong, the driver, also of
Woodland, was thrown into the water,
but was rescued by a boat.
The party started from Woodlawn
tonight on a pleasure trip and arrived
here atS<930 o'clock.
While attempting to turn his car on
the levee road, which runs on the bank
of the river, Armstrong lost control of
his steering apparatus and the machine
was overturned and rolled into the
water.
All five passengers were flung free
of the automobile into the river.
The women were dragged down by
the weight of their clothing, but Arm
strong seized boat moored nearby
and crawled ashore.
Girls Body Found
Miss Julia .Dungan's body was re-
covered at 1880.
Armstrong spread the alarm as soon
as he reached shore. At once swarm
of men rushed to the scene, but they
arrived too late to be of any help to
the women, Of whom they caught no
sight until Miss Dungan's body was
seen and brought ashore.
The point where the accident occurred
is right in the town.
The levee road follows the embank-
ment, and crosses bridge just beyond
the town.
Armstrong did not wish to cross this,
and turned his car to return the way
he had come.
To make the turn with large ma
chine requires close figuring, and II
was just as he swung his wheel to
head sharply around that he last con-
troll and the car overturned.
Dropped Fifteen Feet
The distance from the levee top to
the water is nearly fifteen feet, down a
sloping bank. The machine with its
screaming passengers toppled off this
iulO Lue WdleT.
The depth of the river at this point is
nearly twenty feet, and the car disap-
peared from sight.
1t is possible that some of the dead
are pinned down by the machine.
Miss Dungan's body was found some
distance below the bridge where 1t had
been carried by the current.
Mrs. Nixon was the wife of w. F.
Nixon, editor and proprietor of the
Woodland Mail. She was widely known
throughout this section and was prom
inent in social circles in Woodland.
Mrs. DUNCAN was the wife of j. H
DUNCAN, postmaster at Woodland, and
sister of Mrs. Nixon.
Miss Meryl DUNCAN was II years OF
age, and was about to graduate from
the high school at Woodland. She was
extremely popular with the younger
set of the town,
Miss Julia DUNCAN, sister of j. H
DUNCAN, had been his assistant In the
postoffice for some years.
AS soon as word of the accident
spread through the country many peo-
pie hastened to the scene in automo-
biles and carriages. The banks of the
river were searched for miles in the
effort to find the bodies and the search
ers are still out