The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-04-11


| GETS NEWS OF AUTO ACCIDENT
/ III YEAR OLD GIRL KILLED; 8
YEAR OLD SISTER INJURED.
! While j. r. Culpepper. a splendid
| cid gentleman and highly esteemed
citizen Of Americas, addressed the
| Senior EDworlh League Of the Cordele
! Methodist church in their meeting
! Sunday afternoon his granddaughter,
! Sarah Margaret Culrepper. aged II
1 Years, was aimcst Instantly killed,
and her sister Minnie Sue. aged 3
years, was probably fatally injured
when they were run down by an au-
tomoble at Americus The little
girls are the daughters of MIR. and
Mrs. Charles i. Culpapper, whose
home is on Lee street, Americas,
Their father is employed by the Sea
beard railway IS passenger engineer
/ between Savannah ard Montgomery
MI Culpepper came to Cordelc Sat
urday to spend several days with Mr.
and Mrs. James r. Kelly, OF whom
he had been a warm friend for some
years. Sunday morning he spoke be-
fore the Sunday school of the First
Baptist church, delivering most in
teresting talk. Both his talks before
| The Baptist Sunday school and the
League at the Methodist church were
| given with excellent illustrations. Mr.
Culnepper has taken a deep interest in
work among young people for a num-
Der of years.
The news OF the sad tragedy reach
j ed him while he was in Cordele, and he
was extended the sympathy Of many
| friends here. He returned to Americas
On the first train.
| An account Of the accident in the
| Americas Times-Recorder in Mondays
issue was as follows:
"The accident occurred about $50
O'Clock, and was Witnessed by only
! few persons. The automobile which
crushed the little girls life out and in
iured her sister was a big siX-cylinder
Studebaker, driven by Mrs. Jerry Mug
ivan, wife of one Of the owners Of the
John Robinson Shows, which are win
tering i'll Americas.
Mrs Mugivan was learning to drive
the machine under the instruction of
Mrs. Bert Bowers, who also occupied
the front seat OF the car. Mr.. Bowers
is the parner of Mr.. Mugivan in the
ownership of the Robinson Shows.
"The Studebaker came down Lee
street at moderate rate Of speed and
was about to turn west into College
street when another car passed rap
idly. causing Mrs. Mugivan 10 fear
collision. TIL children were stand
ing on the sidewalk near the crossing,
waiting for the automobile to pass in
front of them into College street.
AS the big car started to make the
turn, Mrs. Mugivan attempted to APP
ply the brake, but Inadvertently press
ed the foot throttle and the machine
shot over the curb and upon the side
walk. striking the children and hurl-
ing them under the wheels. The ma
chine continued on across the side
walk to the low brick coping border
ing the lawn in front of DR.. w. ).
Prather's residence and grinding the
bodies of the little girls against the
bricks. Here the car stopped, with
the front wheels projecting over the
coping.
Several persons rushed to the scene
of the accident and eXtricated the bod
les of the children from underneath
the car.
Sarah Margaret was found to have
been horribly crushed, the ribs, breast
bone and shoulder blades having been
splintered. She was still breathing,
but expired just before reaching the
hospital.
Her sister, Minnie Sue, sustained a
broken right arm, which was also
badly lacerated and it is believed that
she is injured more or less internally
Charles A. Culpepper, father Of the
children, was en- route from Savannah
to Americas at the time Of the acct
dent, driving train No. "A on the Sea
board Air Line railroad. He was notl-
fed of the tragedy at Helena and was
relieved from duty arriving in Ameri-
Gus at 1870 Sunday night.
Mrs. Mugivan and Mrs. Bowers are
Frustrated with grief over the tragic
affair. which has cast shadow over
the entire community
News dispatches from Americas an
nounce the death Of the second victim.
--nI,ynI