The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-08-02
'M'KNIGHTACCIDENT'
PARTICULARS OF DEATH OF FOR
MER oSkALoosA PEOPLE.

them a widely-known Los Angeles
pastor, and a fifth probably fatally
injured at 1920 o'clock last night when
an automobile in which they were re
turning from Long Beach collided
with a Southern Pacific switch en-
CINE at the crossing of the Anaheim
road and the Southern Pacific rail
way, in the harbor district
The dead are:
Rev. Jesse P. Mcknight, 46, Mont
clare apartments, No. 2OO7 Ocean
View avenue, Los Angeles, pastor Of
the Wilshire-boulevard Christian
Church.
Mrs. Helen Smyser Mcknight, 30,
wife ofIDr. Mcknight.
Miss Willy Smyser. %, No. 1909
West Twenty-frst street.
Attorney George r. Duncan. 36, No.
1909 West Twenty-frst street.
Probably fatally hurt:
Mrs. Carrie NJ Smyser, SO, No. 1909
West Twenty-first street, mother of
Mrs. Mcknight and Miss Willy Smy-
ser. At the Seaside Hospital, Long
Beach.
Miss Smyser, and her, sister, Mrs.
Mcknight, were killed instantly. Rev.
Mcknight died at the Seaside Hos
pital at 9:40 O'Clock p. m, and Mr..
Duncan died at the Long Beach Sana-
forum at 10 o'clock. The bodies Of
Miss Smyser. and Mrs. Mcknight were
.ol,o, 90 tha ,,pJarfoly 'norlorc IF
3. ]. Wood, Wilmington. Mrs. Smy
ser still was unconscious late last
night. >++siia = 'a5.l3.
Returning From Beach.
George Duncan was Mrs. Smyser's
nephew and had lived with her as
one of the family for number OF
years. The party had been spending
the day at Long Beach and were re.
turning home when the accident oc-
Cured 1t is said that the switch en-
CINE was backing north at a good
rate of speed. Whether warning
was sounded is uncertain.
The vision is obscured here by the
sheds of the Consolidated Lumber
Company and occupants of machine
coming from the east cannot see a
train approaching from the north.
The auto was demolished and the
engine had to be backed up before
the bodies of the dead and injured
could be removed from beneath it.
The bodies of Miss Smyser and Mrs.
Mcknight were horribly mangled and
identification was made by cards
found on their persons. eNs
Rev. Mcknight and his wife, for
nerly Miss Helen Smyser, have been
married about three years, according
to friends. The former was living at
the Montclare apartments, having
rented his home at No. 434 South
Kenmore avenue.
Noted churchman.
DR.. Mcknight was one OF the lead
ers of his denomination IN the West.
He was native of Illinois and a
graduate of the Hiram Theological
Seminary His first wife, a Miss
Metcalf, he married before coming to
California and two children were
born to, them, Harold, who is inter
ested in the fire insurance business
here, and Miss Geraldine, who is now
visiting relatives in the north.
DR.. Mcknight, who was 46 years
old, had held pastorates in different
parts of the middle West. He came
to Los Angeles from charge at Os-
kaloosa, Iowa. He was the organizer
and practically the builder of the
Magnolia-avenue Christian Church,
formed thirteen years ago, and for
nine years was it's pastor. He re-
signed to accept the. pastorate of the
First Christian Church of Pasadena,
which he held for two years.
In 1915 he accepted a call to the
pulpit of the Wilshire-boulevard
Christian Church. He was married
about three years ago to Miss Helen
Smyser, musician of no little tai
ent. At the, time of her death the
latter was 80 years old. Her sister,
Miss Willy Smyser, was two years
younger.
Duncan An Attorney.
Mr.. Duncan was one OF the well
known younger members of the local
bar. having offices in the Billiard
Building and residing with the Smy-
ser family, to which he kas an adopt
ed son. He and Henry Smyser, son
of Mrs. Carrie M. Smyser, were espe-
cially close friends. Mr.. Smyser,
who is trust officer in the Los An
geles Trust and Savings Bank, is now
occupying Mr.. Duncan's summer cot
tage at Hermosa Beach. Mr.. Duncan
was an orphan and had no relatives
closer than cousins, a relationship
which included the Smyser family
and Attorney Clarence Shinn of this
city
Mrs. Smyser was SO years old and
Mr.. Duncan Sc.
The friends and relatives of the
dead and injured were so dazed by
the fearful news last night as to be
unable to make definite plans for the
future. Pr. Charles Wright, a physi-
clan with offices in, the Story Build,
ing and a cousin, of the Smysers, will
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