New-York tribune., 1916-01-02
Two Dashed Against
Pole, e,Die-BOy Risks
Life in Vain.
AUTO LOOMS UP
ON GLAZED PATH
Tearing at Mile-a-M Minute
Pace, Youths Efforts TO
Avoid Crash Fail.

Caldwell. n J., Jan. 1.-Two high
school girls flashed down the CLASSY
surface of Hatfield Slide. probably the
fastest bobsled course in the country,
to instant death this afternoon. As
they were hurtled down the icy chute
at more than mile ea-minute clip their
two boy companions tried to save them
from the collision which cost their
lives. The boys were injured, one
probably fatally.
The girls are Winifred Daley and
Helen Van Deventer, both OF East
Orange, n. J. They were seventeen
years old. Their death ended house
party at the home of William Harold
Van Wart, in Caldwell, that had pro-
vided entertainment to the younger set
Of the village during the holidays.
William Little, jr., son of Mayor
Little of Caldwell, is in Mountainside
Hospital, where 1t is said there is little
prospect Of his recovery. He might
have escaped serious injury had he
not tried to save the girl passengers
on his bob.
Automobile Blocks Road.
Little, who is nineteen years old,
took his new bobsleG over 10 the Van
Wart home in the morning and invited
the two girls and Alfred Norris,
Princeton student, who wss a guest at
the house party, to go over to Hatfield
Hill, whose prime condition already
had drawn a crowd of amusement geek
ers. The hill is more than half mile
long, is very steep and is renowned
for bobbing, although dangerous be-
cause OF the rises that obscure the
bottom OF the road
The coasting party had made the trip
from the mountain top several times
The young people noticed that 1t was
faster than il had been when covered
in thirty seconds at the international
bobsled contests year ago. They were
making final trip, when Little, who
was steering, caught sight of an auto
mobile, directly in the path of the sled,
about halfway between top and bottom
Of the slide.
There was no time 10 think. Little
tried to steer through a narrow gap
between the vehicle and telegraph
pole. He miscalculated by fe"
inches. Seeing his error the boy threw
himself back to save the girls.
He was too late Tne sleC crashed
| into the pole, and dashed him and the
/ girls against il. Miss Van Deve' ter's
! skull was crushed. Death was instant.
Miss Dailey's neck was broken and Ii =
tie was crushed about the face and
I body as the wrecked sled buried h'm IN
| debris.
/ Dead Taken to Their Hosts
/ The Rev. Nelson B. Chester, VIII was
! walking a short distance away, ran TO
the rescue. Believing Miss DALEY still
alive. he carried her into d house.
physician pronounced her dead
Norris had been thrown from the
rear Of the sled as it swerved from the
| centre of the road. lie was shot along
/ the icy face of the hill and came 10 an
abrupt stop beneath the wheels Of the
/ automobile that caused the acc'deh'.
/ His injuries consisted chiefly of cuts
which. while painful, will not prove
/ serious.
The bodies Of the two girls were
taken back TO the Van Wart home,
where a sad circle Of young people
] those who had made up the house
( party and their friends-groip about
| them. Despairing suggestions were
I made about the responsibility for the
sccident. but the police an1 coroner
decided that the driver Of the auto was
gultless. -,
Russell Dustin, nineteen years old,
was the driver Of the machine that
blocked the pathway OF the bob. he
= said he saw the coasters just as h.
was about to cross the road and had
I Immediately STOPPED. lie believed ne
left ample space Tor the sled 10 corr
time straight down the slide. For that
reason he made no attempt to back
his machine away in the brief period
Given him for decision.