Evening times-Republican., 1913-07-29
SHERIFF SCHMIDT, OF MONTE.
ZUMA, AND FRED HoUoh-
KIRK, THIS CITY, INJURED.
DRIVER LOSES CONTROL;
CAR sTRADpLEs RAILING
Schmidt internally Injured and Badly
Bruised-Houshkirk Sustains Bro
ken Breast Bone and Has Two Ribs
Torn From Spinal column-Wers on
Trail Of Horse Thieves.

FRED r. Houghklrk, local detec-
tive. lies at his home. SIT South
Fourth street. with two ribs torn loose
from the spine and with his breast bone
fractured. as the result of an automo-
| bile accident late Monday, about six
miles northeast OF Brooklyn. The acct
dent occurred when the automobile in
pany with party OF officers on the
trail of a band of horse thieves. struck
a bridge at the foot OF steep hill,
and threw the officers into a ditch by
the side OF the road.
! Sheriff c. NJ. Schmidt, of Powe-
shiek county. another member of the
party was also seriously hurt, it be-
ing feared last night that he had sus-
tanned internal injuries. He was
bruised from head to foot. Another
member OF the party, Earl Yordy, OF
! Waterloo. who was in charge of the
/ bloodhounds. used in the hunt, es-
capped with slight injuries. The driver
of the car. H. S. Hofa, OF this city,
was not hurt.
! Participate in Round UP.
| Houghkirk left yesterday for New
ton. by way OF Grinnell, where he was
TO appear as witness in suit in
district court Wednesday. At Grinnell
/ he met officers from other counties and
consented to join in the search for the
/ notorious band of horse thieves which
! have been working in central Iowa for
/ several months.
! Engaged in the hunt were sheriffs'
officers from several counties, includ-
ing Sheriff John Reid, Jr.. of Boone
! county. Posses in automobile assisted
the sherifs officers in the hunt. 1t
/ was estimated that 500 or 500 persons
were engaged in trailing the robbers.
Car Driven at High Speed.
With Houghkirk in the car were
Sheriff Schmidt. Yordy with the dogs.
and Hoffa- Houghkirk had complained
10 the driver. he says, that the speed
was too great and there vas danger
OF an accident. He declares they
were going at a rate Of about forty
miles an hour.
The speed was not materially slack
ened as they started down the steep
incline. At the foot Of the hill was
small bridge, about twenty feet IN
length. AS the car neared the approach
Hoffa momentarily lost control and the
car turned almost half way about,
striking bridge piling as 1t did 50,
breaking the piling off. This impact
hurled the car forward, and altho
Hoffa applied the emergency brake.
the car straddled the railing Of the
bridge. The occupants of the car, with
the exception of Hoffa. were hurled
from their seats and down the side Of
the embankment.
Houzhkirk slid down the embank-
ment for distance of about ten feet,
striking the roots of a tree, uncovered
by recent rains. Schmidt fell upon
him and Yordy fell over Schmidt.
Hoffa remained in his seat.
Injured Removed to Homes.
The injured men were taken back
to Grinnel, and were later sent tc
their homes Everything possible was
done to relieve their sufferings and
superficial examination resulted in the
, announcement by surgeons that bott
, were seriously hurt. Yordy continued
on the trail with the hounds.
Houghkirk was brought here on {
night train and removed in an ambu
lance to his home where he is restini
cornparatively easy today. He will b.
l confined to his bed for some time.
/ Could Not Control Car.
IL
driving at an excessive rate Of speed
and that he did not believe it possibl
to drive forty miles an hour with hi
car He has been considered cauti
Gus driver.
In explaining the accident Hoff
said the speed of the car was accel
lerated as they descended the hill. Th
brakes were not holding properly an
naturally the speed was greater than
should have been down grade. Whe
the bottom of the hill was reached tn
car swerved from its course and wer
] into the high grass at the side of tn
3iroad Here he could moi control il
i course. The machine again changed il
course and struck the railing Of til
bridge.
Hora says that mistake vas mad
in the direction and he was positiv
that Schmidt had directed him on til
wrong road. The highway was nal
row and not in the best Of condition
The car was not badly damaged an
Hoffa succeeded in pulling it from II