South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-09
MAN KILLED IN
AUTO ACCIDENT
Steven 0. Black, Three Rivers,
Mich, Is ViCtim-Three
Companions Escape.

Steven o. Black. a well known
cigar manufacturer Of Three Rivers,
Mich. was instantly killed shortly
after eight o'clock last night. when
the automobile in which ne was
riding. with three others. struck a
telephone pole. oVerturning the
machine. and buryilg him under the
running board
r. A Rrddaway. William Barn
hart and Charles Doolittie. prom
inent citizens OF Three Rivers. were
the others in the car at the time
Of the accident. but all Of them
escaped unhurt They had been
spending the day AT the Goshen
fair. having left their homes early
Friday morning Mr.. Black had
some business to transact in South
Bend Saturday. and the trip was
being made 20 this city over Lin
coin highway. When about half a
mile west Of Osceola, and almost OPP
pOsite the old car barns. the acct
dent happened. The highway at
this point is being repaired and is
in a most dangerous condition for
traffic. AT one place on the road
near this point there Is a hole clear
across the roadway through which
"a narrow gage rail has been laid.
Nearby there was a danger light
burning when "A News-Times re-
porter reached the scene. Accord
ing 10 the surviving members of the
party, however. the light was out
when they approached the spot.
The automobile struck the gap,
jumped to the asphalt. which is
laid down the center of the high
way, along which il skidded several
feet. bounded 10 the side OF the
road and crashed into a telephone
pole. The right rear wheel was torn
off at the hub before the crash
came Mr.. Reddaway. owner of the
car. was at the wheel at the time
of the accident, and on the seat
with him was Black. who was
thrown under the car when il
struck the telephone pole Doolittle
who was in the rear seat, was also
thrown under the machine. but was
gotten ont by his companions. his
only injuries being a few skin
bruises.
Assistance was summoned from
OsceoIa. while Walter Destch. own
er OF a garage on Lincoln way E..
BIishawaka. was phoned for and
arrived with apparatus for lifting
the car. When Black was taken
from among the debris IT. was found
he was dead. his skull having been
fractured Dr. Prouddt Osceola,
who was on the scene a few min
utes after the accident occurred.
was Of the opinion that death must
have been instantaneous.
Black was "a years old and leaves
e wife and four children. His wife
was Immediately notified of the
tragedy. The body was brought to
the Finch and Sprague mOrgue
and the other members OF the par
" also reached here about mid
night They state that they were
only making from 10 TO 90 miles
at the time of the crash. and are
positive in their claim that the light
ON Lllt IOtUWoN WIS OUT AHtN sly
that the drop i'm the road at the
scene OF the accident was at least
eight inches.
The light guarding the excavation
was out at the time of the accident
according TO the testimony received
IN the investigation held by Cor
oner Swantz. Eight witnesses were
examined Friday night immediately
after the accident
Tt was further discovered that il
the early part Of the evening Their,
was a light ar the spot but that Il
must have gone out some time later
There was a difference of opinion az
u the exact rate of speed M whicl
the machine was travelling. Res
idents near the scene were almos
unanimous in declaring that tn,
machine was speeding rapidly bu
they We're unable TO decide the eNac
rate. The investigation viii D,
continued on Monday