The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-09-25
TWO Of WILSON
PARTY KILLED
Autos in Collision as Presi-
dent Tours Columbia
Highway.
CASTS PAIL over The TOUR
Ben. F. Allen of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer and James r. Patterson of
Portland Are the Victims
Two Are Hurt.

W. SATC
Portland, Ore, Sept 16-Driven at
breakneck speed along the Columbia
highway, II miles from here, an auto
mobile bearing three of the Washing
ton newspaper correspondents accom-
panying President Wilson's party left
the road, turned turtle on an incline
and left two dead and three injured
men in its wake.
Ben. T. Allen, for 10 years the
Washington correspondent of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, was instantly
killed, as was James r. Patterson, sew
enty-three years old, the owner and
driver of the car.
The injured were Robert T. Small,
Washington correspondent of the Phil
adelphia Public Ledger; Stanley NJ.
Reynolds, Washington correspondent
of the Baltimore Sun, and Arthur d.
Sullivan, reporter for the Portland
News. Both Mr.. Small and Mr.. Rey-
nOlds will recover.
The tragedy cast a pail over the en-
tire presidential party and the presi-
dent made only short address here
Arrangements Poor
For the first time on the trip the
presidential party met poor arrange
ments here.
The pilot car which guided the par
ty 80 miles from here to Crown Point,
a site which gives an extensive view
of the Columbia river, hit up a pace
haf An ~, T,o,,r Z
times and members of the PRESIDENT
party were fearful for his safety.
The road in spots is very narrow and
over steep hills and inclines, and for
this reason the drivers were cautioned
to preserve slow rate of speed.
The accident occurred shortly after
the president left the Multnomah coun-
ty fair grounds near the town of
Gresham, and this is why it happened
In every town where the president
has spoken, local committees have ar
ranged an automobile procession in ad-
vance for his party and all persons on
the special train are assigned to a GER
tain numbered car in each town. In
car number seven were Messrs. Allen,
Small, Reynolds and David Lawrence,
the Washington correspondent of the
New York Evening Post. When they
approached number seven car here,
they found that the majority of its
seats were taken by local townspeople.
Mr.. Lawrence decided not TO go on the
drive, while Allen, Small and Reynolds
sought another motor and obtained
seats in No. IS in the procession.
On the return from Crown Point,
Patterson's car had some engine trou-
BILE and was slightly delayed. When
repairs were made he attempted to re
gain his place in line and speeded up.
The motor, q large, seven passenger
car had a clear roadway for a time,
but meanwhile other motorists anxious
to glide out from cross roads to trail
the president had edged in. One of
these was G. II. Barnett and it stalled
In the middle of the highway. Pat
terson tried to avoid a collision but his
ear was travelling at such high rate
of speed that it left the road.
Mr.. Allen was in the front seat as
was Patterson. The three other men
were in the rear seat and were thrown
clear of the car, which after turning
turtle. righted itself on the road.
President in Friendly Territory.
President Wilson was in friendly
territory here. There was nothing OF
the ''blue Monday" evident in the re
ception that the people of this city
gave him, both at his appearance on
the streets here at nine o'clock in the
morning, when he spoke at luncheon
and again at night in his address at
the Auditorium.
Two short but peppery addresses
we're made by the president as a re-
suit of the warm greetings. He again
reiterated that he had not the slight
est ooubt that the treaty ultimately
will be ratified by the senate.
In all of his addresses he empha-
sized the fact that until the treaty was
out of the way there could be no hope
of normal conditions prevailing in the
world.
Bids for Aid.
He made a direct bid to the reser-
yationists in the United States senate
TO come to his aid in order that peace
might be ratified Immediately.
81 call upon them-the honest men
The sincere men-to stand with me and