Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-11-06
An AWFUL TRAGEDY.
6. w. Cooper Killed in an Automobile
Accident on kempe Levee.

Almost deplorable tragedy oc.
Cured on the Kempe levee, some
miles below st. Joseph, and near
Waterproof, on Friday evening
about 4 o'clock, when Mr.. C. W.
Cooper, of Lake Providence, was
killed In an automobile accident.
MIR. Cooper, in company with Mr..
Hill, another contractor, and also
from Lake Providence, had made
the trip from that city down to
Kempe levee on Friday to look at
a piece of work to be let by the U.
5. Government on next Monday the
9th inst. The car passed through
st. Joseph about l O'Clock and both
gentlemen took dinner at the Losey
House. Immediately after dinner
they proceeded down to Kempe,
finished their inspection, and in
tended to double back to Tallulah
same evening, where they were to
take train for New Orleans to attend
the letting next Monday. Just as
the car reached the ramp crossing
the levee near Mr.. A. J. Gibson
gin, Mr.. Cooper, who was driving, |
attempted to back slightly down one |
side OF the ramp in order to turn
around, his purpose being to pro-
'eed down the ramp, ON the land
side, and into the public road. |
Just at this point the ramp has
very steep declivity on the outside
'f nearly thirty feet, and as the car
began to back the decline proved SO
great that Mr.. Hill, at Mr.. Coop
,r's suggestion, got out and en-
ieavored to stay its backward pro-
,ress as the breaks were not work.
ng well. At this critical juncture
dr. Cooper, evidently becoming ex-
'ited, and intending to apply the
break and start the car
onward, put his foot on the exhil-
Irator instead, which threw more
'asoline into the engine and car
'eing on reverse gear shot back
yard at great speed, causing it to
% over the incline, turn turtle sew
raj times and roll down the en-
on the river side, finally
upright on its wheels at
DOT of ramp, and having suffered
cry little damage. Mr.. Cooper was
brown out aud struck o violent
low by the running board, which
ut an awful cash on side of his face
nd head. Mr.. Hill ran to his re-
lef, but death had already claimed {
i'm. The body was brought to Wa
and the wounds dressed
" DR.. Gorton and the remains pre-
jared for burial.
Mr.. Cooper was resident of Lake |
Providence and was about AZ years
Il age. He has been actively en-
aged in the levee business for some
ears and is we'll known in this par /
sd. Several years ago he was To-
ated near Waterproof, on a con-
ract, and had bis family with him,
onsisting of wife and nine child
en-, when Mrs. Cooper was taken
own with pneumonia and died; at 9
anne time son was also quite i'll 6
nth same disease, but recovered. I
t is indeed a strange coincident
hat he should have come from his
ome in Providence to almost the
anne locality where his good wife 2
'as taken from him only a few
ears ago, and in the bloom of life
nd health, suddenly ushered into Q
Immortality. v
As soon as the news reached Wa d
srproof number Of people visited
he scene Of the disaster. The fam
y of the diseased was Immediately !.
Gifted of his death and will come !
own on train Saturday morning .
meet the body at Waterproof ard g
the remains to Natchez
} be laid by the side of his wife.
The awful tragedy. coming so y
'ddenly and so swiftly, cast a N
DOM over our entire people, many y
whom had just seen and talked
it'll the unfortunate victim but
" hours before. in
Truly, in the midst of life we are te
death! f.