El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-08-10
!. " PAXTON
KILLED IN A MOTOR
ACCIDENT HUSBAND
is FATALLY INJURED
WIFE OF PROMINENT NEW Mex.
co DEMOCRAT, DAUGHTER or
COLONEL FOUNTAIN, SIXTH OF
FAMILY TO MEET TRAGIC END;
ACCIDENT ON VIRGINIA HIGH
WAY

HOSlDENt yin NlnSttNi~ TINT
WAY
Mrs. James H. Paxton, wife Of the
former Democratic state chairman
and president of the boacl of regents
OF the Now Mexico state College, was
instantly killed in an auto accident in
Virginia a week ago and Mr.. Paxton
was perhaps fatally injured. No adj
vices were received today as to wheth-
er he would survive. Mrs. Paxton was
a daughter of the late Colonel Albert
Fountain, mysteriously murdered in
the Organ mountains years ago, and
whose son was slain in Mexico a year
or so ago. 1t is said Mrs. Paxton was
the sixth member of her il~l-starred
family to meet a tragic death. The
following account of the tragedy ap-
peared in a Virginia paper of Aug
ust list:
Mrs. Kitty Fountain Paxton. Of New
Mexico, was instantly killed, and
James H. Paxton. her husband, sus-
tanned serious internal injuries, at
11:15 o'clock yesterday morning, in
an automobile accident on the Valley
Turnpike near Burketown. Major R.
G. Paxton, U. S. A.. retired, brother
of j. H. Paxton, the owner and driver
of the machine, was only slightly in
jured.
The accident occurred on the fa-
nous "Burketown hill" where there
are two sharp curves in the turnpike
within a distance Of fifty yards. In
making the first turn the machine
almost went owe an embankment,
Major Paxton not knowing that the
road turns so sharply at that point.
When he attempted to regain control
Of the machine, the right wheel
smashed under the weight thrown
upon it in making the turn. This
caused the machine to/rOll over side
wise and turn completely around.
Harry Mace, of Burketown, wal
only a short distance ahead of the
automobile party, and was an v
witness to the accident. He at once
went to the scene. Mrs. Paxton's neck
was broken. Her body lay under the
running board of the machine, but
was not held fast. Major Paxton was
under the car, which had righted it.
self in the drain beside the road.
James Fl. Paxton was found just be-
hind the machine, unconscious from
his injuries. He had apparently been
thrown from the machine before it
finally turned owe. b
Mr.. Paxton was removed to the
home of F.. S. Van PeIt in Burketown,
where he was attended by DIR. Ward
Harshbarger, of Weyer's Cove. Later
he was taken to the Kings Daughters
hospital in Stanton. His left wrist is
broken, and his knee badly bruised.
There is a cash in his back, and he
complains of severe pains in his chest.
His face is also painfully lacerated.
The full extent Of his injuries cannot
be determined for several days. Major
Paxton has a seal under his chin, and
another on his right elbow, but was
otherwise uninjured.
Sheriff d. E.. Croushom was the first
officer to reach the scene. He found,
however, that the accident had occur
red in Augusta county, about $50 yards
south of the Rockingham line. DR.. J..
B. Catlett, the Augusta coroner, and
Magistrate ]. C.. Weast, of Harrison,
were notified of the tragedy.
Mr.. Weast was the first to arrive.
He gave permission for the body Of
Mrs. Paxton to be moved, having de-
cided that no inquest was necessary.
The body was then removed to the
undertaking establishment of Lusty
KOOnz, at Weyer's Cove.
Mrs. Paxton was about 35 years old,
and was a native of New Mexico. She
married James HI. Paxton, who is a
prominent lawyer, about ten years ago.
Mr.. and Mrs. Paxton left their home
at Las Cruces, New Mexico, several
weeks ago for Nicaragua, Central Am
erica. They came to New York City
by boat and then to Washington.
Major Paxton was for many years
an officer in the Tenth United States
Cavalry, and more recently had been
quartermaster at the army remount
station at Fort Myer, just across the
Potomac from Washington. He was
retired only last week, and with his
brother and sister-in-law, left Wash
ington Saturday for the old Paxton
home at Buena Vista. They spent
Saturday night at Middleton and were
completing the journey when this
wreck occurred. Mrs. Paxton is the
sixth member Of her family to meet a
violent death.
The automobile. which is a Stude-
baker roadster, is not badly damaged
from the smashed wheel and a
broken windshield.
Arrangements for the funeral have 1
not been completed, but it is likely
that the body of Mrs. Paxton will be
taken to New Mexico for burial. Mr..
does not know his wife is
dead. He was unconscious when re-
moved from the scene of the wreck,
and has not since been told for fear
Of the shock causing his condition to
still more serious. /,
This was the fourth fatal accident Z
the Valley Turnpike within six /
/,
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