Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-04-25

OCCURRED near Platte RIVER BRIDGE TUESDAY NIGHT
Car Went Over Eight Foot Embanlnent Turned Turtle
and PinnedlKerich Under Running Board
--Farrows Injuries Internal.

The most terrible automobile accl-
dent ever recorded in the history OF
Morrison county, and the first one that
has taken a life, occurred shortly at.
ter 9 o'clock Tuesday evening, when
Frank Kerich Of this city was killed
and Warren Farrow was severely ig.
jured.
The accident occurred about five
miles west Of Pierz, or, more accurately
described, about mile west Of the
Platte river bridge. The road at this
place lies in two hills and the elevation
Of the road between the hills is very
higL. -.
Warren Farrow had gone to Pierz in
the afternoon with two Alexandria men
and was preparing for the return trip
when he was encountered by Frank
Kerich, who said that he would ride
to Little Falls with him if he would
wait until about $3.50, to which Farrow
readily agreed. Kerich had been in
Pierz since Monday morning in the in
terests Of the New York Life Insurance
company, and had but one more party
to see. He called up Mrs. Kerich and
told her that he would return q that
night instead of coming home the next
day by the stage, as he had first con-
templated. .$. ,.3 & &
~7'A AS near as can be ascertained, ftha
two men left Pierz in Farrow's car,
which was an E. M. F., about 9 o 'clock
Tuesday evening and evidently the
accident occurred not many minutes
later.
A party composed Of Chas. Gravel
Jr., and Peter Blake were on their way
home to Pierz with two new cars, A.
stoll, Hubert Bares and son, Peter, also
of Pierz being in the second. They ar
rived at the top Of the hill about /
o 'clock and when going down the hill
they noticed light at the side of the
road. At first it was thought to he
nothing but fire but upon second
glance Peter Blake thought it was the
light Of car, and said that it must be
overturned. Upon reaching the spot
it was discovered that MI. Blake was
right, but as they had nothing but a
flashlight along they went to the home
of Mike Thommes, a short distance
from the scene of the accident to
secure lantern.
Upon arriving at Thommes' home
they found Warren Farrow already
there. He was conscious and told of
the accident, stating that the excenera-
tor of the car was not working and he
kicked it with his foot. By doing SO
he lost control Of the car, and it turned
out of the road and rolled over the
embankment. He evidently clung to
the steering wheel as the car turned
over and then fell to the ground, the
car rolling over again. When he came
to, as he did not see Kerich, he thought
that he was uninjured and had gone
to secure help.
Mr.. Gravel suggested they go back
and investigate. Mr.. Thommes secured
a light and the party returned to the
scene Of the accident. When they ar
rived there they found Kerich pinned
under the running board Of the car,
dead, and they returned to the
Thommes home to notify the coroner,
One light Of the car remained burning
after the accident, but it is thought that
the engine was killed as soon as the
machine was overturned. The car had
a punctured tire and no doubt this
was contributing cause to the car
leaving the road. The car went off the