Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-07
ALMOST A TRAGEDY.
Six South Carolinians Have Narrow
Escape For Their Lives.

Escape For Their Lives.
Lexington, N. c., July Six prom
inent South Carolinians were injured
in an automobile wreck a mile north
of Lexington this afternoon. The car,
big Winton Six, carried seven pas
sengers. Capt. c. B. Skipper, superin-
tendent of one of the big cotton mills
Of Lancaster S. c., was the owner of
the car and his guests were Messrs.
Luther Still, B. f. Funderburk, Frank
w. Hunter, w. A. Moore of Lancaster,
S. c., and DR.. R c. Brown Of Rock
Hill. The Chauffeur was a negro.
All of the men are injured. Drs.
Buchanan and Clodfelter were car
ried to the scene of the accident
shortly after it occurred and found
the victims very much the worse for
their experience. According to DR..
Buchanan, the scene resembled a
battlefield after the smoke had clear
ed away. The men were lying
about on the ground, groaning and
lamenting their fates, and one, still
daZed, was praying. They were quick
ly placed in automobiles and brought
back here to Hotel March. After a
careful examination the physicians
announced that there were no bones
broken and that the mems injuries
consisted of bruises and cuts, of
which there are enough to keep them
quiet for several days.
None of the party will talk, but so
far as can be learned the accident was
due to reckless driving. One Of the
party admits that the car was going
at the rate Of thirty miles an hour
when the accident occurred. Others
among them the men who rescued
the unfortunates, say that the speed
of the car was at least fifty miles an
hour. They were sailing down a
long smooth hill at what was really a
terrific rate Of speed and at the foot
of the hill they encountered a big
traction engine, drawing a threshing
outfit. They came upon the engine
suddenly, as it had been hidden by a
sharp curve, and there was no posi-
BILE chance of avoiding trouble. The
negro driver turned as quickly as he
could, preventing by a narrow margin
a head-o -on collision, threw his car into
the ditch, and smashed the rear
wheel. The car turned turtle and
nothing but the deep ditch at that
point saved their lives. All of the
men, including the driver, were firm
ly pinned under the car.
The crew of the thresher rendered
prompt assistance One of the men,
bers of the party said that his head
was caught beneath the edge Of the
front seat and that he does not
believe that he could have lived five
minutes longer. The car was quickly
lifted from the prostrated men and
physicians were soon on the scene.
According to the negro chauffeur,
the trouble was due to a defective
brake He said that bolt was lost
out somewhere between Lexington
and Salisbury and that he had been
unable to hold the car on the steep
grades, but had been lucky. When
he reached here he suggested that the
brake be fixed, but he was instructed
to go ahead and take a chance" He
declared that he did not intend TO run
SO fast. but simply could not help it
on the down grade. as there was no
way of holding back.
The car was badly damaged. A rear
wheel was smashed completely and
the steering gear, windshield and
front seat were completely wrecked.
The car was brought back TO the city
late this evening.
At latest reports every member of
the party is resting well.-Charlotte
Observer.