The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-09-27
A. B. DAVIS KILLED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT
NEAR NASHVILLE
TRAGEDY OCCURS THURSDAY
NIGHT BETWEEN NINE AND
TEN O'CLOCK.
WOMAN in CAR With HIM
Wife and Daughter Went to Nash
vile This Morning and Body VIII
Be Sent to Former Home at Mari
eta, Ga.

riding with a woman whose Identity
| is being carefully concealed, A. B.
Davis, prominent business man, OF
Columbia, was instantly killed Thurs
| day night when his automobile crash
ed through the railing of the Whites
creek bridge on the Hamilton road
near the Davidson county tuberculo-
sis hospital The car plunged TWEEN
ty feet to the ground, pinning Davis
beneath the wreckage and crushed
the life from his body. His compan-
ion received bruises, her shoulder be-
ing dislocated.
Attention was first attracted to the
tragedy when the cries of woman
were heard by Tom Murphy, who
lives not far away. Rushing to the
road he saw woman crying and
wringing her hands. He soon found
the cause of the trouble, when he
came upon the car in the ravine be-
low. He ran to the house of d P.
Treppard, neighbor, from which
place a telephone message was sent
to the undertaking firm of Combs &
Davis, whose ambulance was dis
patched to the scene.
i
When the body was found the car
was lying across the abdomen. no
bruises being evident Death was
due to internal injuries. The right
wrist was broken and the body was
bleeding at the nose. Death must
have been instantaneous.
When the ambulance arrived, Criv-
en- by ]. w. Nolen, the body was
IStill under the wreckage, the heavy
car making it difficult to raise the
load Of the FIVE seated Chalmers. The
task was at length accomplished. and
the remains placed IN the ambulance
and brought to the city. The woman
was able to get conveyance in bug
gy coming to the city. She did not
divulge her name. She is described
as being about IS years old.
The accident occurred about 8
o'clock Thursday night, and it Is
known that Mr.. Davis left the city
shortly after 8 o'clock, presumably
on business trip to Mr.. Hale with
whom he and his company, the Nc
Neel Monument Company, of Column
bia, had dealings. Mr.. Davis was
driving the car himself at the time
of the accident, but as to the identical
way in which the tragedy occurred it
is known only to the woman with
him.
D. T. Treppard stated Thursday
night that he heard the car crash
through the railing and rushing to
the bridge found Mr.. Davis dead and
a historical woman standing nearby.
ne StdlCo Cudt uC ICIuihCu W uio
home Immediately after seeing that
Mr.. Davis was dead, and notified the
undertaken.
Tom Murphy, whose home is about
100 yards away, heard the woman's
cries. He states that he went to the
scene Immediately and was greeted
with the sight of heavy car on top
Of the dead body of Mr.. Davis, and
woman standing crying, near the
wrecked automobile. He stated that
he and the woman went to the home
of D. T. Treppard, where they inform
ed Mr.. Treppard of the accident and
had him notify the undertakers. Mr..
Murphy described the lady as being
not young, but attractive looking.
She did not give her name he said.
According to B. L. Maxfeld, resi-
dent of Columbia, and also connect
ed with the McNeel Monument Co.,
Mr.. Davis came to Nashville Thurs
day morning on a business trip with
him. He stated that Mr.. Davis went
to the Tennessee Automobile Co.,
wkhere the automobile belonging to-
the monument company has been for
the past few weeks undergoing re-
pairs, and getting the car out, drove
around the city transacting his bus
mess. Mr.. Maxfield left him late in
the afternoon and did not hear any
more of Mr.. Davis until the news Of
the tragedy reached him. Securing
a buggy he and Ernest Thacker, also
Of Columbia. FASTENED to the scene
and assisted the undertakers ic re-
moving the body from under the
heavy car.
At the place where the accident &C.
Cured there is sharp turn where
the road goes upon the Whites
creek bridge, and Il Is surmised that
on account of the darkness, Mr.. Da-
Wis could not see the curve until too
late. After having given the seer
ing wheel quick jerk, II can easily
he 6ourod ont that Mr. navfa ooufd