Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-10-19
STEERING WHEEL
BECAME JAMMED
Automobile PIunges Over En-
bankment MASKING 0CCu-
pants Beneath 1t.

An automobile driven by Shug John
ston plunged off the embankment ON
| west side of bridge over Big Sequa-
chez river on ShellmOund road, east of
Jasper, Thursday night, and one lady,
Miss Lula Henson, of Bridgeport, was
badly crushed as result of being caught
beneath the machine. THEE other
occupants were bruised and shaken up
in the accident.
The accident occurred about 730
o clock, and the party were returning
from Chattanooga where they had
been to the fair. Mr.. Johnston, an
expert driver, and very careful, was
at the wheel, when suddenly some
thing got wrong with the steering
gear. and the machine plunged off the
embankment. 1t rolled over and land
ed with wheels straight up. The top
was up, and to this the occupants at
tribute the faCk that they were not all
killed by the machine throwing them
out and then falling on them.
W. j. Johnston, formerly member
OF the county court, and father of Mr..
Johnston, who was driving, was in
the rear seat with his granddaughter,
Miss Lille Mae Smith. As soon as he
realized what had happened. he tried
to get out. but could not He could
have opened the doors but was too
dazed to think of it. A slight opening
was left on one side by a depression in
the ground, and thru this he instruct
ed bis granddaughter to go, feet fore
most, he assisting her as much as pos
slble, that she might summon assist
ance. His son was piniOned beneath
the wheel and was helpless, and Miss
Henson was badly hurt
Miss Smith got ont from under the
machine, and went up on the road. In
few minutes man driving ped
ding wagon came along, but on being
told of the accident, got too frighten
ed to render assistance. A few min
utes later Morris Westmoreland, Jr.,
came along in his car, and he sum
mOned the man to aFsist him in get
ting the three persons from under the
machine. This the driver of the ped
ding wagon seemed disnclined to do,
seemingly too dazed at the accident to
render assistance. Finally he went
down to the machine with the boy and
Miss Smith, and together they tried to
do something to get the occupants out.
Young Westmoreland finally managed
to get his fingers up under the door of
the car to the latch and opened it, and
released w. J. johnson, who was not
hurt except bruises. He also unlatCh-
ed the front door and they got out
Miss Henson, who was suffering from
severe hurt to her right side, and help
less. Shug Johnston was found under
the wheel with the steering post jam
med against his neck, and shoulder,
and one aim caught so he could not
get loose, The others managed to ex-
tricate him, but he was not seriously
hurt Miss Henson was the greatest
sufferer, and was conveyed to Jasper
at once, the party being taken by Mr..
Westmoreland. Examination showed
that no bones were broken, but she
sustained some injuries to her side
which have been very painful. She
was removed to her home at Bridge
port the next day.
The machine was Hupp 40, the
property of S. H. Alexander, of
Jasper, and beyond the demoli-
tion of the top and steering wheel,
sustained no further damage.