Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-21
Ed s. Lowenberg, Form
County Home Head, and
w. Arnold, Are Killed "a
MACHINE STRADDLESa
BRIDGE BANISTE
Then It Upset, Pinning Boz
Occupants Beneath and A
Crushing Them q

Ed s. Lowenberg, former ousto6l1
of the Wapello county home and w
rem Arnold were instantly killed abq]
o'clock Sunday morning whom L6l
enberg's car, in which they wore y1
ing, turned turtle on the Ottumy
Bloomfield road, three and thu
quarters miles north OF the lat1|
place. The bodies were given into {
custody of the coroner and shori1l
Bloomfield and, after an inquest ~
there, were brought back to Ottun
about noon Sunday.
Struck Bridge Truss.
The place where the fatal accidl
occurred Is known as the Chooui
bridge and spans small creek: IN
car was en- route to Bloomfield. En-
tracks in the road and evidence gG1
cred by G. G. G. Heady, the Davis COZ
ty coroner, the automobile left {
main travelled center OF the road abG|
two rods before it reached the brtd1|
1t struck the steel banister or trU|
which braces the bridge at the Gn
This banister is about three and
half feet high, and Ia cut OF In 4 sla
ing style at either end. The III
wheels Of the car are supposed TO haa
ridden this until 1t reached the cent
of the bridge, then dropped over
the flonf sl-idded the rest OF the N
acros VI the opposite side r.
the lie structure, turned e
pletel rinning the occupants
meath. &
Almost instant Death. u
Both men are supposed to have d
almost instantly. Arnold Wa baN
bruised and cut about the. face 0
shoulders. The skulls were fractuxl
and Arnold's neck broken. Lows
berg's face was penetrated BY = b
from the wind shield just above n
left eye. sl
The car was bent and twisted ab&
the hubs and axles. The wind shiS
was broken, tho lights smashed a1
the front part of the machine bn4
bent. 1t was in sufficient good a.
ming order, though, to be brought5 4
Ottumwa Sunday afternoon
on Way to sioomfIsid.
There were two cars In the pNE
and the four mon who occupiod The
according to the testimony intso9N
at the c0roner's inquest. were 0nst1
way to Bloomfield. LOwenbergsG
Arnold occupied the second ca1
Roy Randol and James Long the m
one. h
The party left here before midnil
and at 1885 o'clock stopped 6 q
home of Jarles Pence and asked Z
way to Bloomfield The bridge whN
the accident occurred, 10 about a
yards from the foot of . fairly 80
hill. Lowell Hill, who lives abo
two miles northeast Of the scene 81
accident, was driving home In huG'
from Bloomfield and passed the q
cars, evidently just before the wreS
In the middle Of the moline =
passed the first car, carrying Rand
and Long, and he says that they "
driving about twenty or twenty.1
miles an hour. At the top OF the /
he passed the second and he ple1
LoWenberg's speed at forty mlle1
hour. ii
Went Bask 70 Loek.
After the first car had cro1sed &
bridge and had gone on . short
tance they noticed that the ssco!
was not following them. They st0pp
and listened and could hear no 700
Of it nor could sec any lights. TA
turned around and went bsck. AT
south end OF the bridge they found Z
machine turned upside down. I'LL
succeeded in lifting 1t OF the bodl
beneath but both mon were dead thl
They pushed the car out Of tho w'
and drove on to the Pence hon
from where they telephoned 70 q!
oner Heady and Sheriff Osa Dunla
at Bloomfield. They and Mrs. Hea
Immediately drove to the scene wh
Mr.. Randol and Mr.. Long came y
Ottumwa to notify the dead ne
families.
Say Careless Driving.
After the men, car and surroul
ings had been examined by the
ficers, undertakers from Bloomfield
moved the bodies there and prepa1
them for the inquest. It was held
10 o'clock under the direction Of I
coroner and the jury composed Of ~
Pence, Millard Pence and Webs
Creel returned a verdict that the "a
! q