The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-07-03
Fo0lhardy Driver
Kills Young Girl
Judge Hammond Describes Dis.
tressing Accident Caused by
Speed Demon

| "A Letter written by Judge Henry c.
Hammond to the Augusta Chronicle
concerning thefrecent death OF @ young
lady may serve, as timely warning
to young men who are speed demons
and may cause them, at least, to put
on the brakes and throttle when they
have precious lives in their keeping.
The letter of Judge Hammond fol-
lows:
Editor Chronicle:
Joshua Cartledge, q farmer, made
the following statement In the pres
ence OF q group of which / chanced
TO he a member:
Il was Standing on the piazza of the
store In the forks OF the Savannah
road about 180 feet from the long
narrow bridge over Spirit creeA. Two
minutes before ii got to me / could
hear~the roar OF an automobile COM
ing. walked to the end of the piazza
and say the big car'coming pt an aw-
ful rate--60 or 20 miles an hour. No
checking, no slowing down for the
bridge at 81 ! knew 1t couldn't take
the curve and make the bridge at that
speed. 1t was just naturally impos-
sible. The driver swerved the car to
the left then sharp 10 the right to
enter the bridge. But he never reach
ed sthe bridge, The hind end OF the
car sIiidded TO the left-7the car turned
oyer--rQlled oyer three times and
stopped upside down in the run of
the oreek. amashed with the wheel
in the air and the engine torn out of
creek, stagger q few steps up the
the car. ran to the place and saw
a young girl drag herself out of the
bank. was looking right at her and
she at me. She Wavered and said:
Oh Lord and sank down on the
ground. One OF the men laid her on
the piazza floor and got water and
bathed her face. There was an awful
woupd in her temple. I saw that she,
was dying. She did die right there on
the Playa In Jpst q, few minutes.
heard one of the men in the car say:
God knows why he didn't kill us all
before We left town
Here Is q simple statement Of fact
made by a direct eye witness to the
woeful. heart t-crnshipg tragedy. There
is no intelligent mind in this com
punity not held by thought OF this ter
rlpie 9ccurronce7-nO sympathetic soul
not ftiled with sorrow. And there be
those who are drinking deep at the
fouptain OF grill I'D tasting the bit
ter waters that lie at its source.
The splendidly constructed 20 horse
power Femplar car suddenly lost it's
center OF gravity; turned turtle and
with deafeQipg clamOr hurled into the
silent waters OF Spirit creek--then the
soeue on the porch Of the country
store. Are our hearts so filed with
pity, our minds so stunned by horror
as TO see in this occurrence only the
play Of the blind forces OF nature? DO
we see back Of II no human responsi-
bility Stop, think! Was this an ac-
cident, pure and simple, unavoidable;
with blame coming to no one? il was
not! Was there anght the matter
with car o. roadway. Mo-! NThe car
was perfect ana oyer that road thou
sands .pass daily in safety But what
Of the human will that directed the
course and speed Of THAI car? What
Of the man who sat al the wheel and
IN whose keeping was the life OF that
young girl?$ Let generous souls pour
out upon him all the pity and for
giyeness they ,cap---let just ones con-
denim him as he deserves. Judge him
as he took bis seat at the wheel OF his
Templar this summer morning with
full kpowledge Of the deadly agency
under his control and with reckless
disregard OF the precious life alone
in his care. Judge him as he wilfully,
wickedly hurled that ma
chine through the streets Of this city
a menace to all who passed. Judge
him at each mile post on the Savan-
nah road as he fendishly rushed that
child 10 her death. Hear the roar
OF the tortured car, see the demon
man at the wheel. And then---the
still water OF Spirit creek--the fair
form and the lovely. face all torn and
on the floor Of the COUNTRY
Henry G. Hammond.