Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-25
PASSENGER TRAIN
RUNS INTO AUTO:
2 PERSONS HURT
DRIVER OF MACHINE INJURED
FATALLY
CAR WAS RETURNING FROM
FUNERAL AT POMONA
Motorcar Reduced to KindlIng Wood.
Young Woman sustalns Severe
Wounds, but Hopes for Re-
covery Are Strong
VIZ HILE returning from funeral
wv late yesterday afternoon an au-
tnn1nhile nnntain d. /. Per-

" HILE returning from a funeral
wv late yesterday afternoon an au-
W tomobile, containing d. L. Per-
sons, a wealthy orange grower of
Lemon station, eight miles from Po-
mona, and Miss Maude Lee, was run
into by a Southern Pacific inbound
passenger train. Persons was injured
fatally and serious injuries were sus-
tained by Miss Lee.
The accident happened west of Lem
on station, when the auto was cross
ing the road, which runs at right
angles to the railroad tracks.
The auto, small Maxwell run
about, was demolished, nothing re-
naming but a tangled mass of iron
and splintered wood. That both occu-
pants escaped instant death is re-
garded as marvellous, judging from the
appearance of the machine.
AS far as could be learned, there
were no eye witnesses to the acci-
dent, and how 1t happened Is not
known definitely.
Persons suffered the fracture Of four
ribs, the ribs being crushed, a severe
scalp laceration and multiple bruises
about the body. At the Crocker street
hospital, where the injured were taken
it was stated Nr. Persons had no
chance of recovery.
Miss Lee sustained q fracture OF the
right thigh, a deep scalp wound and
minor injuries about the body. AL
though her injuries are considered Sc
rious, the physicians stated they are
not necessarily fatal, and hold out
strong hope Of recovery.
Double sorrow was inflicted on the
Persons family by the accident, as Mr..
Persons was just returning from the
funeral of his wife's sisters daugh-
ter, Miss Libby Hummel who was
buried in Pomona Yesterday after
noon.
Start on Return Trip
After the services, Mr.. Persons and
Miss Lee, who is Is years old and
was a. childhood friend of Miss Hum
mel. started in Persons auto for the
! return trip to Lemon station.
The station at Lemon is said to
have been the cause of the accident,
as 1t prevents a view Of the dangerous
rounding curve, just before the main
road crosses the railroad tracks.
The passenger train is said to nave
struck the auto near the center toss
ing the occupants high in the air and
rolling the machine along in front, un-
til it toppled into a ditch on the south
side of the track, a total wreck.
The train was stopped and willing
hands went back expecting to find the
lifel6SS bodies OF LIl6 OCCupdHISs
Mr.. Persons had been thrown dis
tance of so feet, while Miss Lee, who
was on the seat farthest from the
train, was tossed to one side. Both
were unconscious and placed on board
the train and speeded to Los Angeles
and to the Crocker street hospital.
Word was sent to the relatives in
Lemon station, who had returned from
the funeral, unaware an accident had
happened.
A w. Lee, a rancher Of Lemon and
father of the injured girl, reached Los
Angeles In an automobile a short time
before 9 o'clock. Mrs. Persons, wife of
the injured man, was Frustrated by
the double affiction and was unable
to make the journey to Los Angeles
last night.
Mr.. Persons is 40 years old and
prominent in Lemon and we'll known
in Pomona. The Persons and Lee
families have been closely acquainted
for many years.
1t is thought that Mr.. Persons did
not hear the approaching train on ac-
count Of the noise of his auto, and the
fact that the little station shut out
view of the track added to the
danger.