The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-04-28
Former Cape Man Injured in
SikestOn Auto Accident
Has Chance to Live.
SPEEDING is BLAMED
AS CAUSE OF SMASHUP
Ted Wettich Is Out of Danger
One Man Was Thrown
80 Feet.

c. c. Freeman, wealthy farmer llV-
ing at Sikeston, and former Cape
saloon man, who was dangerously in
iured late Wednesday night in an
automobile accident near SikestOn
late last night was reported to be re-
covering at Cairo, where he was taken
to a hospital. Mrs. Freeman and his
children are in Cairo with him and it
is expected physicians will pronounce
/ out of danger within a short time.
Ted F. Witch, St. Louis plow
salesman, who was also injured seri-
ously, yesterday was doing well at
the Marshall Hotel in SilIeston. His
wife, who had been visiting relatives
in Campbell, came up to Sikeston yes
terday and is with Mr.. Witch.
The third man who was hurt in the
smashup is Ruby Davies, and he was
able last night to be up and hobbled
about the hotel lobby at Sikeston.
Davies is about 25 years old. His
home is in St. Louis and he has wife
living there. He is a travelling man
for a machine manufacturing concern.
The accident in which the three men
were hurt, Freeman perhaps fatally,
occurred about II o'clock Wednesday
night on the rock road from Oran to
Sikeston. The men were motoring
from Oran into Sikeston after having
attended a lodge meeting in Oran.
Gus Stella, Freeman's chauffeur,
was driving the car. They were trav-
cling at good rate of speed, and in
making a sharp turn in the road the
machine struck an imperfect place in
the highway and was turned turtle.
As the car Topped in the air it threw
the four occupants out Of their seats.
Freeman was thrown heavily against
telephone pole, fracturing both legs
above the knees. He likewise suffered
bruises and cuts.
Witch has a broken left arm and
three dangerous cuts on his head. He
was thrown into barbed wire fence
and in that manner sustained the cuts
All the men were thrown clear of the
machine as it over turned.
Davies escaped with a sprainet
right leg and cut on the right hand
Davies, who was sitting in the real
seat, was thrown more than 30 feet
from the car and over the fence into
a wheat field at the side of the road
His fall into the wheatfeld probably
saved his life or more serious injury
The chauffeur miracuously escaped
injury and fed from the scene to tele,
phone for aid from Sikeston. Free.
man and Witch were knocked sense
less by the force of their fall.
A rescue party soon was formed il
Sikestcn and the men were borne into
Sikeston in automobiles.
On their arrival in the city they
took Freeman, who they learned a
once was hurst worst, to his home
From there he was taken to the rail
road station early yesterday morning
and hurried to a Cairo hospital.
Witch and Davies were taken t
a physicians office and about 3 o'clOcl
yesterday. morning ware taken to tn
Marshall hotel, where they were quar-
tered last night.
All three men who were in tn
wreck are we'll known in the Cape
Mr.. Witch has travelled through thi
city selling farming implements fo
the last 25 years and for 10 years h
has been with the Parlin & Orendor
company. He is about As years oil
and resides in st. Louis.
Freeman until about II years ag
in the Cape conducted the st. Charlie
bar, the Silver Moon (next to tn
Sturdivant bank, and saloon at tn
present location of the A. Ray Smit
store. He also conducted saloons {
Oran and Sikeston. When the latte
city became dry he went out of tn
liquor business and has since bee
farming about 500 acres of whea
land. He is about 55 years old an
has two sons and two daughters.