Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-06-19
TER R lB
Careless Motorcyclist Nearly Kills
H. 4. Babcock and Himself
On Outlet Road.
MARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH
Babcock Suffers Broken Leg
and Fracture Of the Skull and
was Thrown Fifty Feel.

Il p
and Fracture Of the Skull and
was Thrown Fifty Feet.
What nearly proved a fatal acci-
dent occurred on the outlet road nearl
Carl Hanson's residence last Tuesday
morning about 8 O'clock.
H, 4. Babcoek and Tsidor ii Hanfesas
fwere at that place on the road havinsl
gone there to assist in the road work
/ ON Good Roads Day .,' The two gem
tlemen had backed their car of thel
road and were getting ready to move
q road grader to another part Of the
road. Mr., Babcock had Just finished
|tieing some ropes to the grader and
stepped back onto the road just in
| time to be hit with a motorcycle rid
| den by Lawrence Mitchell, Young
man about nineteen years Of agel
whose father ii the agent of the Rock
island railroad n this city.
Young Mitchell was Iiitting the
road at about fifty miles an hour
when his machine struck Mr. Bab-
cock ~
knocked Mr., Bahcock several feet
land he was picked up unconscious
The young man who was driving
4 the motorcycle did not fare much bet
ter When his machine struck Mr..
A Babcock AT such a terrific speed ii
/, threw the rider several feet up In
1.-THE air and he landed in heap on
his face in the road. He was also
/ ipicked up unconscious,
[; Both men were taken In Mr.. Han
q tens auto and a hurried trip made
4 TO the city and both were taken to
], DR., Bartron's hospital
j Mr.. Babcoek rsgained consciousness
s,sss ''s-ft spsssa sra ,eslrs before
u Mr., Miitohell came TO his senses.
Mn Rahcoek suffered d broken leg
\ , al,qye the knee and also haa hia skull
, fractured above The eye 1t was tliot
& at first that his chances for recovery
J. : Nsre doubtful but at this writing he
is feeling much better and the attend
Z ing physician says there is now no
8 doubt about bis recovery unless some
complication sets in, which is not
!. anticipated at this time.
Mr, Mitchell suffered d broken nose
and at frst It was thought that he
4 had sustained internal injuries which
II might prove fatal but 1t later deyel
oped that the nose was the only part
Of his anatomy which win suffes, "a
any great extent.
] Young Mitchell was fined some time
! ago In municipal court for. exceeding
I the speed limit and paid SIS for the
{ icffenge. He has been repeatedly
I warned by his father that he was rid.
ling his machine too fast and that II
was only a matter of time, ii he con,
!, }ttnued the practice, he would either
! EIHTEEN
!, kill himself or some other person. He
would not heed the warning Of hia
] father and this is the result
Mr.. Bahcock, it seems, has received
more than his share Of the accidents
. tot life, and nearly all of the accidents
were caused BY the carelessness Of
Il others
( He lost one Of his legs when a boy; j;
Z he was badly. burned by gasoline sew
!. eral years ago; had one arm shot off
s by a friend at the duck pass about
four years ago and now he suffers d
broken leg and a fractured skull.
Z With all these misfortunes, Mr.. Bah
icock is still bright and cheerful and
4 Is one Of the most optimistic men in
! Codingfon county. He never COM
! plains and takes whatever misfortune
! Is dealt sout to him philosophically
tand still retains his sunny disposition
and pleasant smile.
He says that bis friends are wei
come to call and see him. but he
would rather they would not express
u their sorrow or regrets III his pres
4 ence.
A friend called On II. 4. Babcock
4 today at the hospital and upon iIls
qiiring how he felt receiged The fol.
Il diving reply am feeling finey
4 then frogs hair. viii be all right
q again IN a short time aecidents Will
a aanpen ven knew. nd perIaaps i ! am