The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-10-29
ELECTRIC CAR KILLS
HOBART A. STEWART
ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE LAST
WEEK FRIDAY MORNING
Victim Was Bringing Milk to Condensary
in Auto and Evidently Did Not
Hear Car

last week Friday morning, when
south bound electric car. leaving this
station at 8.08, ran into an automobile
driven by Hobart A. Stewart, we'll
known farmer of Thetford township.
killing the latter almost instantly and
reducing his automobile to shapeless
mass of junk.
At the time of the accident Mr.. Stew
art was engaged in bringing several
cans of milk from his farm to the con-
densery, whence it was to be shipped
to Detroit. He was proceeding west
on Johnson ST., probably going at
fair rate of speed, as he had not a
great deal of time to spare, and as his
view of the track was obscured by the
house standing on the corner and by
other buildings, it is considered prob
able that he did not see or hear the car
until it was upon him. The motorman's
view was likewise obstructcd so that he
did not see Mr.. Stewart until the auto
was within few feet of the track, and
could, therefore, do little to check the
speed of the car. Mrs. Chas. Galbraith,
who lives on the corner where the acci-
dent occurred, and Vess Butler, en-
ployed at the milk factory, were eye
witnesses of the accident. They say
that Mr.. Stewart was carried along in
his machine for a few feet after the
car struck him, but when the machine
crumpled up under the front trucks of
the car he was hurled through the air
with great force and struck on his side
in the door yard of Mrs. Galbraith's
residence. The automobile was simply
twisted into a shapeless mass and
was scraped along over the ties for a
distance of about eighty feet, being so
firmly wedged into and under the trucks
that considerable effort was necessary
to remove it. The milk was scattered
in every direction, large quantity of
it being thrown over the front end and
windows of the car. The car was in
charge of Motorman Wilbur Arnold,
brother of Charles Arnold, superinten-
dent of the S. & F. Ry, and Conductor
Albert Wittemiller, both of whom re-
side in Saginaw. These men and sew
eral others at once went to Mr.. Stewart
and DR.. P. E. White was Immediately
summoned, but the unfortunate man
was found to be unconscious, although
breathing, and by the time the physi-
clan arrived had passed away. An
examination of the body made after
death showed that Mr.. Stewart had re-
ceived a superficial cut in his forehead,
his collar bone was broken and his right
leg was fractured at the hip, but death
had been caused by a broken neck.
Those who saw the accident consider it
likely that all or nearly all these injur-
les may have been inflicted at the time
the auto was struck by the car rather
than from the force with which the VIC
tim was thrown from it.
Coroner J. D. Stuart, of Flint, visited
the scene of the accident on the day on
which it occurred, with officials of the
railway company and relatives of Mr..
Stewart, but after looking the ground
over, it was decided that an inquest
was unnecessary. AS has been known
to those who are familiar with the sit
uation, the coroner and those who were
with him found that the crossing is
very dangerous, as view of the track
and roadway is practically obstructed
on the east by buildings on both sides
of the street for a distance of nearly
the entire block.
Mr.. Stewart was born in Flint, De-
cember 6, 1868, where he continued to
reside until about ia years ago, when
he purchased beautiful farm of 800
acres, bordering on Buell. Lake, in
Thetford. to which he removed and
which has since been his home. He
was graduate of the Michigan Agri-
cultural College, and was considered to
be an exemplary man in every respect,
his untimely and tragic death causing
profound sorrow to numerous friends
throughout the entire county. He was
a member of Thetford Grange 789, was
known as progressive and successful
agriculturist and at the time of his
death owned one of the finest herds of
pure bred Holstein cattle in this Sec
ton of the state. On May 10, 1904,
Mr.. Stewart was married to Miss Mary
Dewey, who survives him. He also
leaves his mother, Mrs. Frances Nj.
Stewart, and one brother. William, c.,
an attorney, both of whom reside in
Flint, also by four sisters, the Misses
Mabel and Lucy Stewart, of Flint, Mrs
Frederick ID. Stricken, Of Grants Pass,
Ore, and Miss Frances Stewart, of
Chicago.
Following the accident Mr.. Stewart's
remains were taken to Flint and fun
eral services were held from the resi-.
dence of his mother. in that city. or