Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-08-27
Fatal Auto Accident Near DEBORAH.


Sunday afternoon Mr., and Mrs.
William C. Hobart, of Minneapolis, were
killed in an automobile tragedy six mile
west Of DEBORAH on the south Ridgeway
road. The accident occurred about 4:3l
just west of o. P. Hovey's place. Mrs.
Hobart was instantly killed. Mr.
Hobart lived few minutes.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hobart left Minneapolis
Saturday afternoon about two O'Clock
in their new, seven passenger Stude-
baker Six automobile. They were
making pleasure trip to Milwaukee,
where they expected to visit at the
home of Mrs. Hobart's sister, Mrs. l..
H. Waite. They stopped at Cresco for
water and gasolene. When they left
Cresco they were going at high speed.
Several times they were seen along the
road, always going at great speed. A.
l.. Odds, Charles City banker, and
family were the last to see them alive.
The Odds party were bound for DEBORAH.
They were behind Mr.. and Mrs. Hobart
When they last saw Mr.. and Mrs
Hobart, Mrs. Hobart was driving and
Mr.. Hobart was sitting alone in the
back seat. There are various the cries
as to the cause of the accident. Some
believe that Mr.. Hobart tried to climb
into the front seat to relieve his wife
at the steering wheel and that in so
doing he swerved the course of the auto
enough to upsetit. Others believe that
the car struck one or more of the three
little ruts where the accident occurred
and so was upset. When last seen by
the Odds party, the Hobarts were going
about 40 or as miles an hour, so it would
not have taken much to cause an acct
dent. Mrs. Hobart was used to driving
and was capable driver as rule.
Mr.. Odds and family came upon the
Hobarts with the auto overturned on
them. Both were pinned beneath it and
Mrs. Hobart was dead. The steering
wheel was crushed into her breast and
she was mangled about the head. On
Mr.. Hobart's head was the car door.
He was still alive when Mr.. Odds reached
him. He spoke, but Mrs. Hobart was
pressing against the horn button and
sounding it so loudly that Mr.. Odds
could not understand anything he said.
Mr.. Olds ran to o. P. Hovey's farm
and got rope which was tied around
the car and with Mr.. Olds' machine
righted it. Mr. Olds' son drove to
DEBORAH for a doctor, but it was too
late. B. M. Graham's truck was used
to pull the Hobart car in. The steering
wheel was broken and several parts
were sprung, the top and the wind
shield being destroyed. The bodies
were taken in the ambulance to the
DEBORAH Furniture Co. undertaking
rooms. The car, spattered with blood,
was placed in Walter Bucknell's garage.
The remains were taken to Minneap-
oils on the 11:O5 Milwaukee train, Tues
day morning.
Mr.. hobart was 81 years old and Mrs.
Hobart was &C. They were married in
1912. They leave no children. Mrs.
Hobart's mother lives at Rochester,
Mr.. Hobart was member of the firm
Of Hobart & Willis, contracting plumb
ers, s26 Hennepin Ave.. Minneapolis.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Hobart we're
found, their clothes were gone through
to find some clew to their identity.
They discovered some $500 worth of
diamonds on their persons and also more
than $1,000 in money. Mrs. Hobart had
about $1,000 tied up in her corset. Mr..
Hobart had his keys on tag bearing
his name, the name and number of his
Elk's Lodge in Minneapolis, and it was
the Minneapolis Elks that his
friends and relatives were found
DEBORAH Journal. a'7f-