The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-16
Norman B. York Victim at
Corner of Washington
and Church Streets
MRS. ETA LEONARD
WAS DRIVING THE CAR
Apparently Both Became
Confused When They
Saw Danger

When an automobile driven by Mrs
Eta Leonard of South Main street and
bicycle ridden by Norman b. York
came together on Washington street neal
Church street late Saturday afternoon
the life Of the rider was literally snuffed
out, although physicians who attended
the man afterwards at the office of DR.
o. G. Stickney and later at the City
hospital, said that his heart continued
to pulsate for half hour after respira-
tion ceased Eye witnesses say that
York was dragged for distance OF twen-
ty feet or more and concensus OF opin-
ion among those who saw the affair and
were the first to reach the scene seems
to indicate that both the woman and
the victim became confused when the
collision appeared to be inevitable.
! The accident, which occurred around 4
o'clock, is the second serious affair of
| its kind in an automobile season that
is yet Young and the first to have a
fatal termination. There were several
persons who saw the bicycle and motor
j ear come together and there were Others
whose attention was attracted by the
collision before the automobile came to
| a standstill States Attorney j. Ward
Carver was notified of the affair and he
| has instructed police headquarters to
make thorough investigation of the
circumstances, although it has not been
| intimated by officials that Mr. Iork's
death was due to criminal negligence on
the part of the driver.
According to those who saw the col
| lison and witnessed the circumstances
that led up to it, the bieyclist was
wheeling out of Church street when Mrs.
Leonard came driving up Washington
street opposite the city park. Mr.. York
had paid a visit to A Church street bak-
cry and was on his way back. II is
said that the automobile was nearing
the street car tracks just as the victim
OF the accident came across the Wash
ington street sidewalk from Church
street.
At the latter point there is sharp
depression for the gutter which extends
along the curbing. Motorists and car
riage drivers are in the habit of easing
their speed considerably when crossing
from Washington into Church street 1t
is presumed that the small gully at the
crossing caused the fore wheel OF the
bicycle to swerve from its course and it
was while the rider was endeavoring to
retain control of the cycle that he mo-
tieed the danger which lay in front OF
him. II is further supposed that the
rider thought to evade all possibility OF
collision by hastily crossing the street
toward the Episcopal church before the
automobile could have time to cover the
distance intervening
AT any rate. il was while Mr., York
was crossing Washington street rather
diagonally that the automobile came
upon him. II is stated that Mrs Leon
ard was not driving at rapid pace,
but when the two came together it was
with no little force. According to the
eve witnesses, Mr.. York evidently
thought that safety rested in clinging
to his bicycle. although he was unseated
at the moment of the collision. II ap- |
peared as though both the bicycle and |
its rider were lifted bodily to the front |
of the machine and it was in this posi- |
ton that they were partly dragged and |
partly carried for a distance of at least |
twenty feet before Mrs. Leonard brought /
her car to a stop. That the bicyclist |
had gotten partially past the car when
il overlook him was evidenced by the /
fact that the lamp on the right side OF
the machine as ii proceeded up Washing
ton street was smashed to bits by the
The helpless rider of the cycle finally
dropped from the front of the automo-
bile and when his body fell to the street /
the car passed entirely over him before
il reached a halt. Almost instantly a
Z ~a,l
around the man as he lay there near
the big telephone pole which stands at
the corner Of Church and Washington
streets. DIR. Stickney was called and
the unconscious man was borne 10 the
physicians office nearby. A few mo-
ments afterward an American Express
team was pressed into service and the
rictim was hurriedly rushed to the City
hospital. At the hospital, Drs. Stickney
md V. c. Goodrich worked over the
nan as long as there were any signs
II life. Even after respiration had
,essed altogether for some thirty min
ties. the heart continued To beat. II
vas found that the man had sustained
fracture of the skull in addition to
numerous other bad bruises about the !
orso and limbs.
Death Due To Hemorrhage
Physicians in charge of the case said ,
hat death was directly due 10 a hemor /
hage OF the brain. The mans left car I,
ras badly lacerated and the jaw on the
anne side Of the face was thought 10 /,
ave been fractured with deep abrasions
( the flesh all about the face. Appar-
ntly one Of the wheels passed over his
hest. for il bore several bruises. as did
lso the arms and thighs. II is generally
elieved that consciousness was lost al
1ost at tire instant OF the collision.
The remains were removed az once TO the
'errv q Noonan undertaking establish
aent on Depot square. Mrs. Leonard.
he driver Of the car. was nearly over
ONE BY the affair. and its peculiarly
hooking nature brought gloom TO many. h.
,r the deceased was widely known about )
swn and a familiar figure about the
treets Of Barre almost any day in the
ear.
Norman B. York was q long g-time resi-
ent Of this city Tie bad lately re- q
fsi al % Branch street. lie leaves q p