The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-08
President of Vermont Saw
ings Bank Badly Cut by
Flying Glass
PREMIER LEAVES
GUILFORD ROAD
Was Running Close to Left Side to
Avoid Oil Just Spread on Road-Tips
Over Against Telephone Pole-Car
Badly Damaged.

President Harry P. Webster of the
cuts and bruises and miraculously es-
capped with his life in an automobile ac-
cident on the Guilford road soon after
s o'clock last evening. His Premier
coupe was damaged badly, the portion
above the body being cut off clean by a
telephone pole.
Mr. Webster was taken to the Brat
tleboro Memorial hospital soon after
the accident and three physicians and
surgeons. DR.. George r. Anderson. DIR.
Harry p Greene and DIR. Winfred H.
Lane, attended him, but he did not wish
to have the cuts sutured last night so
he went to his apartment on High street.
This morning he returned to the hos
pital where his wounds were dressed.
FLYING glass cut a long cash over Mr..
Webster s left eve, laying bare the skull.
An artery was severed, from which
blood flowed profusely. Another cut
was inflicted on the left cheek and he
sustained a bruise on his chest. besides
| lameness in one side, but no internal in
| -iuries were caused. and Mr.. Webster
expects to be around again this after
noon or tomorrow.
| Mr.. Webster was one of a party of
seven persons who were on their way in
two automobiles to Greenfield, Mass.
Mr.. Webster s ear being ahead. Besides
Mr.. Webster, the party included Ward
| Stearns of Brooklyn. head of the COM
many which owns the Pine Grove Springs
summer hotel at Spofford lake. Mrs.
| Stearns and two sisters, and Mr.. and
Mrs. ID. f. McElhinnv of New York and
Brattleboro. Mr.. Webster and one of
Mrs. Stearns's s sisters. Mrs. Northup,
were in the Premier, the others follow
ing in Mr.. Stearns's Packard.
The Guilford road was oiled Yesterday
by the Standard Oil Co. acting for the
town. and there Were puddles of oil in
some places. Mr.. Webster was attempt
ing to avoid the oil as much as possible
and so was driving on the left side of
the road, the oil not having spread so
far toward the outer edge of the road
on that side as on the right side.
On the level stretch of road on the
last rise beyond the Richardson abattoir.
on 4 slight curve Just before reaching
the foot of f'watering trough - hill,
with the two outer wheels running on
ground that had not been oiled. the car
for some reason went off the road on the
left side and for some so feet ran along
+. a low but rather steep embankment. all
the time getting a little farther from
the road, being about the width of the
: machine from the roadway at the far
e thest point. Then it turned sharply
e toward the road again and tipped over
II on its side. Just as it tipped the front
part of the top struck the pole. and the
q entire upper part was smashed off
q When the Packard car arrived Mrs
II Northup, who was not injured at all, was
e seen standing in the road and immedi
g ately the occupants of the Packard
4 realized that there had been an accident
5 Mr.. McElhinny went to Mr.. Webster
n and found him pinned between the pol,
and the car. on the ground. in a dazet
' condition and covered with broken glass
It blood flowing freely from cuts on hi
2 head and face.
le The spectacle was anything but reas
e. surfing, and for a moment there wa
II some question as to whether a fatalit'
10 had occurred. The men, assisted b,
e. others who came along in ears, succeed
ne ed in extricating Mr.. Webster, and h
IN was taken at once to the hospital an,
&c physicians were summoned.
r News of the accident soon reache
this village and number of cars wer
es hurried to the scene. Later in the eve
r ming the ear was gotten into the roa
and was found to be in running order
It was run to the Manley Brother
garage.
Some criticism has been made to tn
~ effect that oil was used too lavishly o
y the road, but Road Commissioner A.
Wallace says it was not used more freel
than is customary, also that under cor
IN ditions like those existing at the seer
of the accident it is not considere
necessary to cover the oil with sand.