Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-16
z OF WILSON
PARTY DIE IN
AUTO SMASH.
Accident Occurs as Presi-
dent Tours Highway
Three Injured.

Three Injured.
Portland, Ore, Sept. 16.-Driven
at breakneck speed along the Co
Iumbia highway. 12 miles from
here. late yesterday. an autOmo-
bile bearing three of the Washing
/ ton newspaper correspondents ac-
/ companying President Wilson's
party left the road. turned turtle
on an incline and left two dead and
! thre. injured men in its wake.
Ben +. Allen. for 15 years the
Washington correspondent of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, was in
stantly killed, as was James r.
! Patterson. IS years old, the owner
and driver of the car.
The injured were Robert 7.
/ Small, Washington correspondent
of the Philadelphia Public Ledger;
Stanley NJ. Reynolds, Washington
correspondent of the Baltimore
Sun. and Arthur ID. Sullivan, a re-
/ porter for the Portland News.
President Wilson last night sent
the following message of condol-
ence to Mrs. Ben +. Allen. widow
Of the correspondent who was
I killed:
Our hearts go out to you in
deepest sympathy in the tragical
death of your husband, whom we
all esteemed and trusted. He will
be missed as true friend and a
man who always intelligently
sought 10 do his duty.
WOODROW WILSON,,
Both Mr. Small and Mr Rey-
nolds viii recover
The former suffered serious
1 hurts. bat no bones were broken
/ and Admiral Grayson. the presi-
dents physician, permitted him to
continue the journey last night
Mr. Reynolds injuries consisted
of fractured shoulder blade and
| bruises and he was taken to the
! Good Samaritan hospital
= The tragedy cast a shadow over
/ the entire presidential party and
| the president made only a short
| address here this noon and this
evening.
Cause of Accident.
The accident occurred shortly
/ after the president left the Multi
! nomoA county fair grounds near
! the town of Gresham, and this is
why it happened:
/ On the return from Crown Point
| Patterson's car had some engine
/ trouble and was slightly delayed
j When repairs were made he at
/ tempted TO regain his place in the
line and speeded up.
/ The motor. a large scveu-passen-
/ ger car, had a clear roadway for
time, but meanwhile other motor
| lists, anxious to slide out from
cross roads to trail the president.
! had hedged in. One of those was
| {. II. Barnett and his car stalled
! in the middle of the highway.
Tried to Avoid Crash.
Patterson tried to avoid a colIi-
| sion, but his car 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
Mr.. Allen was one of the best
known Washington correspondents
and he leaves a widow and a small
f! daughter.
Continues on Journey.
Robert T. Small. the Washing
ton correspondent of the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger, who was
slightly injured in an automobile
collision yesterday. resumed his
journey with President Wilson's
party last night Stanley Reynolds
of the Baltimore Sun staff. whose
arm was broken. remained here
for medical treatment.
Definite funeral arrangements
for Ben F. Allen of the Cleveland.
Ohio, Plain Dealer, who was killed
in the collision, were not announc-
ed. His associates said his body
probably would be sent east.
President Wilson and members
of his party did not learn Of the
accident until they returned to
Portland
The president was not told be-
fore the luncheon at which he
spoke, that deaths had resulted.
He instructed Admiral Grayson to
see that everything for the comfort
and welfare of the men was done
Immediately.
Pays Tribute TO Men.
At the luncheon when the pres
fdent arose his first words were:
Il suppose you all have learned
of the accident, the result of which
fear will be rather tragic It
naturally makes me feel depressed.
These men have been travelling
with me since l started on this
trip and I have learned to know
them as good friends. If we must
go and leave them behind SER
iousIy wounded I realize that I
am pa<ting from very estimable
men"