The Ocala evening star., 1911-04-04
DEATH Of MRS. MCDOWELL.
Falling Tree Crashed Like n Thunder
bolt Into Happy Automobile Party,
killing One Lady and Wound
ing Two

fatal accident occurred al 1880
this morning on the Ocala and Gaines
Vile hard road just nine miles north
of Ocala- \ partyFpf eight Gainesville
people We're coming to Ocala in two
automobiles and when passing through
a little thicket of pine trees. among
them a number Of dead ones. without q
moments warning dead pine tree
without branches. snapped of from the
force of the high wind about ten feet
above the ground and fell across the
car in front.
The top of the car was mashed all
TO pieces and the passengers tangled
up in the wreck. Mrs. John Mcdowell.
Mrs. Lou Lynch. Miss Annie Scarratt
and the driver, Mr.. J. II. Whitney.
were in the car. Mrs. Mcdowell was
killed, death being almost instantan-
eous. The log seemed TO have struck
her on the head and chest and II
is thought broke her neck. Mrs.
Lynch's head was pinned down under
the wreck of the top and she was
painfully injured about the head and
one eye. but il is thought that she will
be all right in a few days. Mr. Whit
ney was knocked senselesl for a few
seconds and sustained setere cut ov-
err one eye. ,.hUt-naAAsssianx1oins $ tin ctively
shut off the power on the car, for
when he came too the car was stand
ing still with the motor shut off. Miss
Scarratt received a painful bruise on
one side of her face.
The occupants of the other car
were Mr.. G. NJ. Youngblood, driving, his
mother. Mrs. Youngblood. who is the
mother of Mrs Mcdowell. the Misses
Lou and Betty Miller. The car was
instantly stopped and the occupants
went to the assistance of their strick-
en- friends in the other car.
With the assistance of the people
living nearby, who began to arrive in
a few minutes, the log was removed
and the top taken from over the peo-
pie in the car Mrs. Mcdowell was
taken out and it was feared that she
had been killed. All haste was made
to the Meffert lime kiln, a mile away,
from whence a phone message was
sent to Ocala. DR.. Chapman and Mr.
Ed Tucker reached the scene in a very
short time. DR.. Harry Dozier and a
Star reporter arriving a few minutes
later
Dr. Chapman with the assistance of
the other members of the party who
were not injured. did all they could to
restore respiration ana heaft action TO
Mrs. Mcdowell and did not desist until
long after DR.. DoZier had arrived. both
of the physicians working with her till
it was plain their efforts were in vain.
\ number of automobiles had arriv-
ed by this time, among them Mr.. r. S.
Halls big Olds. Mrs. Lynch, who was
suffering greatly. Mrs. Youngblood and
others were brought to Ocala, the 9TH
er members of the party with Dr.
Chapman remaining with the body of
Mrs. Mcdowell till thes undertakers
could arrive, word having been sent
to Mr.. McIver to hurry t6- the scensg
! Mrs. Mcdowell was about 81 years
| of age. Her husband fS.a phosphate
miner and operates at Newberry. He
was notified by telephone of his wife's
death. Mrs. Lynch is a niece of Mrs
Julia P. Haisley of this city. to whose
home she was taken upon her arrival
here She is the wife of f. c: Lynch
postmaster OF rGafnesvfITe. '-rr>o@e-s
The ladies of the party are fesefuIly
shocked and almost heart broken over
the sad fate that overlook their happy
party, coming as it did like bolt OF
! lightning from a clear sky.
! Messrs. McIver < MacKay will pre-
pare the body of Mrs. Mcdowell fol
burial and it will be shipped tC
Gainesville tonight.
The people of this city sympathize
most deeply over the death of Mrs. Nc
Dowell and the injury of the other
members of the party from our sister
city of Gainesville.