Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-15

ment Official Making U. S. Survey of the
International Boundary Line The Auto
Brake Failed to Respond While Making
Descent of Mile Long Hill at Numedahl
In fatal automobile accident
which occurred between ten and ele-
ven O'Clock Tuesday forenoon on the
long hill west of Numedahl in Fre-
mont township, the wife of R. E.
McComb, of Lincoln, Neb., met in
stant death. McComb is in the en-
ploy of the government and attached
to the U. S. coast and geodetic survey
and since the beginning of summer
has been engaged in taking observa-
tions at points along the international
boundary line, from the Lake of the
Woods west to the Rocky mountains.
Tuesday morning he hired an auto
at the garage of Napoleon Tetrault, in
Walhalla, to take himself and wife
from the point where they camped
near Walhalla the previous evening to
Windygates, Man, where he had fur
ther observations to make. They had
proceeded on the road as far as the
hill west of Numedahl and had started
to descend the hill, which is about
mile in length and quite steep, when
the driver of the car, James Denney,
of Walhalla, found that the brakes
would not hold and that they had lost
control Of the car, which ran down
hin at a terrific speed At the bottom
OF the hill, there are several sharp
tarns and it was there that the car
upset and rolled over several times.
The victim of the accident was sit
ting in the front seat with the driver
while McComb, her husband, was in
the back Of the car along with heavy
I4tunks and their camping outfit All
tfiree Of the occupants were thrown
clear of the car when it upset Nc
Comb was rendered unconscious for a
short time, but not seriously hurt.
The driver, Denney, escaped with a
slight scratch on the back of the head
and it was the latter who discovered
McComb's wife, the victim of the
accident finding her with the heavy
trunk lying on the top Of her head
and upper part of her body Mrs.
McComb's death followed few
minutes after the accident occurred
never regaining consciousness. 1t
was later ascertained that the victim
also sustained other internal injuries,
from which she could not possibly
have recovered, in addition to the
crushing of her skull by the heavy
trunk which fell on her head.
From the scene of the accident the
driver, Denney, walked to the Nume-
dahl store. securing the assistance of
the proprietor, Mr.. Nelson, who in
his auto took McComb along with the
body of his wife and the driver of the
car, Denney, to Walha]la, from which
point the authorities telephoned to
County Coroner Stromberg, notifying
him of the accident. The investiga-
tion made by the coroner and States
Attorney Crimson who autoed to Wal
ha]la at once upon hearing of the
accident yesterday afternoon resulted
in the holding of an inquest as to the
cause of Mrs. McComb's death being
found unnecessary. The remains are
being shipped today from Walhalla to
the home at Lincoln, Neb, for inter-
nlent accompanied by Mr.. McComb,
who was married to the deceased less
than thee years ago. Mrs. McComb
had left Nebraska with her husband
in the spring and summer Of enjoy
ment had been anticipated by them in
outdoor camping while surveying the
international boundary line between
the Lake of the Woods and the Rocky
Mountains. The age Of Mrs. McComb
is given as being twenty-seven years.
The car in which the accident hap
pened was Maxwell. 1t had seen
service in the auto livery at Walhalla
for several seasons, but was supposed
to be running in good condition at the
time of the accident.