The Press., 1917-08-16
HOWARD NEEDHAM FATALLY
 INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Thomas Mullins and Arthur Whitaker
 Seriously Injured

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 A party of five young men from this
 town, consisting of Howard Needham,
 Corporal Leroy, George Burrell. Arthur
 Whitaker and Thomas Mullins, left
 here right after supper Friday evening
 to go to Forest lake, near Palmer. In
 trying to make sharp curve at Fay <
 crossing, near Monson, the machine
 struck the bridge. The impact hurled
 them all out of the car and injured
 the fridge so much that it had to be
 repaired before traffic could be run
 over it again. People living near by
 heard the groans and cries of the
 young men and hurried to help them
 All of the men excepting Mullins
 were immediately taken to the Wing
 memorial hospital in Palmer. Mullins
 landed in the river and part of the stonework of the bridge fell across
 his legs and pinned him down. The fact that the water was low saved
 him from being drowned. Auto mobiles collected and turned their headlights on the spot where he was
 held so as to give light for the men to work by. Finally a trolley wreck. ing crew came and helped in the work and the stone was removed. Mullins showed remarkable grit through it all He told the men working over him to get the others fixed first aud then come to him. Chloroform was finally given to him to ease his pain. The only man in the accident who escaped without in- jury was Corporal Leroy. He was also the only one who was able to talk and give any account of the accident that night. Leroy sat in the front seat with Needham. who was the driver, and he says that just before the accident came he looked at the speedometer and it registered only twenty five miles an hour. Burrell was released from the hospital the next day, he had severe scalp wound which was sewed up at the hospital. condition was critical for some days. His groin was badly laoerated and the doctors feared that he had internal injuries. Up to the present time he has a good chance for recovering from his injuries Mullins legs were badly crushed, and the doctors feared that blood poisoning was setting in. On Monday he was moved to Springfield hospital for an X-ray examination. It proved from the examination that his legs were broken and they were set. Prob ably if he reoovers he will not be crippled in any way. Howard Need ham was operated on Sunday. His skull was crushed and his jaw broken. The pressure from the bones broken in his skull had paralyzed one side If his body. After the operation he to recover the use of his arm | md leg and was able for a short | lime to recognize his relatives. Mon- lay morning he became worse and
 ~NNN o SAoSA Ah6 bOdy vas moved here Tuesday and the uneral was held Wednesday afternoon ( ?. 30. Many of Needham's friends snt flowers and a large number at. ended the funeral. Rev. L. Rees of oiated. A quartet consisting of Mrs. ]. H. Moore, Miss Margaret Cooley,
 Carl Converse and H. E. Burwell ang When the Weary, Seeking lest' and When the Mists have Rolled Away.' Private Howard Needham, ged 20, was buried in his uniform nd the oasket was draped with the tars and stripes. The funeral was Ield at the home of his mother, Mrs. li Helena Needham, at the Springs Iouse, and the burial was in the stafford Springs cemetery.
 Howard Needham and Thomas dullins were both privates in the J. s. army. They enlisted about wo weeks ago in Hartford and had cen in training with Go. K of the