The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-24
Cecilia Skerritt, Aged Four
Years, Was Struck by
A. W. Badgers Car
DIED SEVERAL y !. RS
AFTER AC : OENT
Witnesses Say : 1T the Au-
tomobile : ) Going
Slowly

Cecilia Skerritt, youngest daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. William Skerrtt OF s Far
well street, died this morning few
minutes past midnight from internal in
luries received when an automobile owned
and operated by A. w. Badger ran over
her yesterday afternoon. The child was
four years and seven months old The
accident occurred around o'clock near
! the bridge that connects Brook street
with Maple avenue. Mr. Badger stopped
| his car Immediately and took the child
to her home, where DR.. w. Z. Lazell was
called. Although the little girl was bad
| ly bruised about the thighs and stomach,
the physicians examination did not dis
close any bone fractures. Indications of
internal injuries, if there were any, could
not be diagnosed at once.
The child seemed to brighten consid-
erably after she was removed to the
house and the fear of internal injuries
was dissipated for a time. Later in
the evening she began to have chills and
toward midnight she sank rapidly.
Accompanying the driver in the auto
mobile was Mrs. Badger. who with her
husband was proceeding to the home or
IA friend on Long street A number of
women witnessed the accident and
Charles NJ Hawes and Ernest Fletcher,
employees of the 0ldsmobile Co.. were also
in the vicinity when the accident hap
pened. The witnesses generally concur
in the opinion that Mr. Badger was not
at fault. The fact that he was driving
slowly and that older children who were
with the Skerritt child were negligent in
crossing the street were cited as elements
which tended TO absolve the driver of the
automobile from blame.
According TO Mr.. Badger, the car was
moving very slowly and his statement
in this respect is corroborated by Messrs.
Hawes and Fletcher As the car neared
the bridge, three children who had been
walking along the walk. suddenly darted
into the street. One of them ran directly
in the path of the car, across the high
way to the other side. The second chnd
and the Skerritt girl continued toward
the opposite side OF the highway and
the driver of the car states that he had
already brought his car almost to halt
to avoid danger of running into the first
child. When the Skerritt girl and her
companion stopped in the middle of the
road, the older one paused for a moment
and then continued across the highway.
The Skerritt child. it is claimed, made
as if to join the other children, only to
stop suddenly, start for the side of the
street whence she came and then to turn
around again. Mr.. Badger had started
his car once more when it looked as
though the road was clear and in his
Judgment, it is claimed. the auto was
going at a rate of seven or eight miles
an hour.
Before he could bring the car once
more to halt, the Skerritt child, ap-
confused, was struck by the
bumper She went under one of the
forward wheels. Women in veranda
at the corner of Brook and Farwell
streets are of the opinion that the wheel
lid not pass over the child. In the driv
,r's opinion, however, the little girl was
thrown directly under the wheel, which
passed over her body at the abdomen
L is thought that the rear wheel carried
Ter along for few feet until the auto
vas brought to a dead stop. The second
Wheel did not pass over her body, as she
vas under the ear when the occupants
lighted. The child did not lose con
ciousness, but appeared TO be in great
,ain while the autoist was carrying her
Iome
Arrangements for the funeral have not
'een made, as parents of the girl are
waiting reply from their son, Harry
'kerritt. who is in Massachusetts,. The
cad child's father is employed as
as maker by the Peoples Lighting,
Jao+;nu G. Power Co Dpsides her mar
nts, she leaves three brothers and
ister, an older sister having been de-
eased several years.