Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-07-01
UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT.

Wood, cOlored, whose home is lust north o.
the limit of Rockville. which was caused
on the Sunday evening previous by her be
ing struck by an automobile driven by Mr.
Roy NJ Palmer, of Georgetown, D. c. The
examination of the witnesses was con.
Quoted by Police Justice Reading and
States Attorney Bowie F. Waters mainly
Some questions were asked of the wit.
nesses by the jurymen to bring out a cleal
understanding of the material facts in the
case. Doctors Linthicum, Henderson and
Lewis were the only white witnesses ex.
amined, the others being colored and the
only eye-witnesses of the accident.
The names of the jurymen empanneled
are as follows: Benjamin C. Hughes, fore
man; James F, Kelchner. William B. Carr
Turner W. Welsh, Leonard L. Nicholson
James E. Kemp, John H. Hilton, Thomas
c. Groomes, William S. Poss, Ulysses M
Ricketts,, j. Richard Harriss and Edward
v, Robey.
Mr.. Palmer was driving Stanley steamer
along the Frederick road at a lawful gait
late Sunday afternoon when he saw -four
colored girls in the road just ahead Of him.
When he sounded his horn all of them
stepped to the edge of the road. on the left
hand side, but Ruth Wood, who went to
the right-hand side of the road. When
the auto was within few feet Of her she
started to 60 to the left-hand side of the
road to her companions and ran directly
in front of the car. She was struck, knock
ed down, and, when her dress became en-
tangled in one of the springs of the auto
mobile. was dragged more than 100 feet
along the road.
AS soon as the girl jumped in front OF
his car Mr.. Palmer put all of his strength
on the brakes in frantic effort to prevent
the accident, and the violence of his efforts
not only wrecked the car, but resulted in
a nearly fatal accident to himself
The emergency brakes on Mr. Palmer s
car exert their pressure on the hubs of the
rear wheels. and when they were set SO
suddenly the hubs stopped revolving, but
one of the wheels did not. All of the
spokes were torn out. the car dropped on
that side and Mr.. Palmer was thrown out.
The auto ran off the roadway and down
an embankment and rolled along for a
considerable distance before il was finally
stopped by colored man who happened
to be passing.
The accident happened in the midst of a
colored settlement just outside Of Rock
vile, and Ruth Wood was knocked down
almost in front of her own home. Her
mother Witnessed the accident. The whole
affair was over in a couple of seconds,
and scores of colored persons ran from their
homes and gathered about the two pros.
trate forms in the road. Ruth Wood was
carried into her home. and few moments
later Mr.. Palmer was laid comfortably as
possible on the porch of the Wood home
A mounted messenger was started fol
Rockville for medical aid, and in a briei
time Doctors Anderson, Lewis and Lin
thicum, of Rockville. and DIR. Lawn Thomp-
son, of Washington, who was on visit
to Rockville at the time, answered the
summons.
The physicians stated that Ruth WOOD
had been mortally hurt when she wal
DRAGGED along the hard roadbed of the pike
Aid measures were tried on the girl. bu
without avail, and she never recovered
consciousness, dying three hours after thu
accident.
Bruised all over his body. and suffering
from blow on the head which produced
conclusion of the brain, Mr.. Palmer also wal
unconscious when the physicians arrived
He rallied slightly under treatment, bu
the only ineligible words he uttered indi
Gated his anxiety about the colored girl
When the accident occurred Mr. Palmer
was on his way to the home of Mr.. vii
liam II. West, near Derwood. The latter
named gentleman was notified of his
friends condition. Mr. f. Quincy Smith
another guest of the West home had q
big touring car in the yard, and quick
run was made over the intervening mile Of
road to the point where the disabled friend
lay Mr. Palmer was placed in the auto
and telephone message resulted in the
stopping of an east bound Chicago express
at the Derwood station so that the injured
man could be gotten to a hospital in the
shortest possible period Of time.
The Casualty Hospital ambulance was
waiting at the Union station when the
train arrived. and Mr.. Palmer was taken
TO that institution.
At the hospital ii was stated that the
patient remained in an unconscious con
dition all night, but he rallied shortly be-
fore noon on Monday. and it was predicted
that he undoubtedly would recover.
Mr.. Palmer is well and favOrably known
young man of exemplary habits and Of
attractive business capacity. which is EN-
poyed in connection with his fathers bust
ness establishment in Georgetown. Be-
sides this, he is associated with a partner
in Washington city in an agency for the
sale of automobiles. lie is a son of Mr.
Samuel c. Palmer.
The latest report from Mr.. Palmer's con
dition reaching us is that announcing con
/ tinued improvement. When he fully re-
turns to his normal self. knowing his com
passionate sympathy for his fellow-mar
as the writer does. can say no one in this
community will be more sOrrowful than he
for the sad accident that destroyed hu
man life. to save which, if possible, he puI
( on the brakes Of his car 50 tight as &c
crush a wheel and heroically risked his
own life.
Wood mems Special Sunday Sermon
Colesville Camp. No 1881, NJ W. A.
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