Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-11-24
FATAIs Aoc1DENT AT FLORENCE.
Three feung Men Killed, One Badly
Hurt Young Lady Also Injured.

Florsnce, Nov. 22.-As the result
Of an attomobile ride last nigh.. unre,
young men of this city s.e dead and
one bruised and hurt. A party, con-
sisting oftJ. w. Wilson, manager of
the Florence Gas Company; A. D.
Taylor, the superintendent of con-
EtructioIi; John e Richter, Jr, fore
man af 6onstr"1 in the same COM
pany, ,.arla Robt. S. Harrison, a young
general merchant in the city, were
enjoyina an automobile ride, the
host being Mr.. Taylor. The fatal
ride waSon what is known as the
MUSES. Rfidge road, a rather danger
Gus road under most favorable cir
'cumstances. Mr.. Taylor was speed
ing thescar TO get back home, and az
he crossed the pair of bridges tnat
span High Hill creek and Black
creek in close proximity, the car
struck tie railing of the bridge, tear
ing some of it away and dashing into
the ten feet of swift water below.
Whether the car fell on it's side or
not is not known. Mr.. Wilson, the
only survivor, says that he remem-
bers no more after calling a warning
to Taylor that he must shut off. Mr..
Wilson says that he kicked himself
free in some way and swan to the
shore, He was nearly frozen, but
had strength enough to Chamber out
and shout an alarm, which was heard
by some men possum hunting, who
ran to the rescue. Mr.. Wilson had
gotten back into the road, but was
weak, Swounded and stiff with cold
and the rescuing party worked over
him untilSnearly morning to restore
circulation. Immediate search was
made for the other men in the car,
but it1s& morning before any
bodies SsSe found. and then Mr..
IIasTis,;SS, SIS recovered with part of
his head 9aooye water against tree,
holding to stick. Later in the day
the body Of Mr.. Taylor was recover
ed, and late in the afternoon the body
of Richter. They had all evidently
been drowned. Taylor was probably
pinned in the car by the steering gear
and his body floated out in the efforts
to get the car out. His position indi-
Gated that rigor had set in while he
still held his hands on the steering
wheel.
In the eager search for the bodies
Supervisor j. B. Mcbride stripped
and got into the water, feeling about
in the car until he was seized by a
congestive chill. Doctors worked
for hours on him by the creek side to
restore him to condition to be
brought home.
There were hundreds of automo-
biles dashing back and forth on the
road In great excitement, and a
horse driven by Miss Candy, who
lives in that community, was fright
ened and dashed off, throwing her
from her buggy and severely injuring
her. She was brought into the city
in an automobile, unconscious, for
treatment at the inflrmary. The ex-
tent of her injuries cannot be told
yet.
K. ). Harrison was a prosperous
young business man, who has grown
up in Florence, where everybody
knew and liked him. He was mar
ried few years ago and leaves
wife and several children
A. D. Taylor came to Florence
three years ago when the Florence
Gas Company was organized. He
was we'll known and popular. He
married Miss Georgia Buchheit, of
this city, few months ago.
John s. Richter, Jr., was not
much more than a boy. He came
here several years ago with his fa-
ther to take charge of the gas plant.
He was a steady boy, very much
liked, bright an energetic.
]. W.aWilson has recently come
here to take the superintendency Of
the gas company. He is an excellent
man and good manager He came
from Henderson, N. c., where his
family still reside.
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