Evening journal., 1922-09-05
) KILLED, 5
HURT, INCAR
SMASH-UPS

learned were also slightly injured.
In the accident of Sunday night
the dead were:
Miss Hazel Slaughter. 20. s17 East
Third street.
Miss Daisy Wright. 20. OF Phila-
delphia. address not known.
Ernest stebbings. 20. 4O4 West
Second street.
George l. Collins, the driver OF
the car. is in the Delaware Hospital
suffering from several fractured
ribs, lacerations OF the face and con-
tusions OF the legs. His condition is
not serious.
The six men figuring in the acci-
dent on the dupont highway at
Blackbird were on their way from
/ Bowers Beach 10 their homes in New
Jersey, after spending the weekend
I at the resort. At point near
/ Blackbird where the road dipped. and
was wet from the rain Of the after
noon, the car skidded. causing the
I driver TO lose control OF the car
striking the bridge abutment II
! turned over twice. throwing the oc-
cupants out and pinning two of them
under the machine.
Aid was summoned and the in
! jured men were rushed to the Office
of DR.. ]. d. Niles at Townsend.
Here II was found that Kroeker was
suffering from a badly crushed chest
and a fractured pelvis.
II was found advisable to hurry
Ross to hospital and he was placed
upon a truck with the other four
members OF the party and started
for the Delaware Hospital in this
city. He was also suffering with a
crushed chest and a fracture OF the
pelvis. His injuries were such that
he died before the hospital was
reached.
Kroeker died in the Office OF DR..
Niles.
The other members of the party
suffered only superficial injuries.
They left last night by train for
their homes in New Jersey.
The body OF Kroeker was taken
10 the undertaking establishment OF
S. A. Collins, OF Townsend. and that
OF Ross was taken in charge OF by
Deputy Coroner Nichols. OF this city.
George p. Collins. OF 525 East
Seventh street. driver OF the auto
mobile that figured in the accident
at Claymont Sunday night. is en-
ployed al the plant OF the Whining
ton Battery Company. 1905 West
street. At the hospital following the
accident, he said that the party had
been for an automobile ride and on
their return trip had driven near
the river TO see the boats passing.
He said he saw the train as they
were about 10 cross the tracks
He declared that he became ex-
cited and stepped on the gas instead
Of the brakes and the car shot
ahead directly in the path OF the
speeding rain.
The car was crushed like an egg
shell and the occupants hurled in
all directions.
As the heavy train struck the
light vehicle. the engineer. S. S.
Baker. Immediately applied the
brakes. but at the speed the train
was going II ran almost quarter OF
a mile before being brought to a
stop. Passengers and crew at once
returned to the scene and began a
search for the victims of the crash.
On their way they met Collins. who
was walking along the track. max
ing for the nearest point to bring
aid.
The body OF stebbings was first
found .t.arr hat
the platform of the Claymont sta
tion and the crossing. lie was still
alive. but so badly injured that he
died within few minutes. His
right leg was completely severed
from his body and his head crushed
and the brain was exposed to view.
A few yards away the body Of
Miss Slaughter was found. Her
head and body was badly crushed
and both legs were broken.
The body of Miss Wright was
found after a search in a mass OF |
weeds along the track near the
wrecked car. She was also badly
crushed about the head and body. |
Wait Was Fatal.
Collins. the driver. was brought
OF this city on the train that struck |
the auto and removed to the hos
pital. The bodies OF the dead were !
brought in later and turned over TO I
the coroner
Miss Wright. who was visiting /
Miss Slaughter, was to return home |
today. Her brother, who also spent |
the weekend here. had asked her /
to return with him Saturday. but she |
replied that she would wait over an
other day.
Miss Slaughter was the daughter |
OF Mr.. and Mrs. James Slaughter.
and Stebbings was a son of Mr.. and /
Mrs John A. Stebblngs.
The train was in charge of Con-
ductor W. Mcconnell.
A Ford touring car owned and op-
Grated by Joseph Sullivan. OF 7O4
Delaware avenue, turned over on the
Lincoln Highway, near Newark.
Saturday night. about 6 O'Clock.
when struck by another car carry
ing a Maryland license, injuring four
of the six occupants, who were
treated by Dr. Charles II. Blake. OF
Newark. The car was so badly dam
aged that II had to be abandoned.
The injured were:
John White. New Castle, who was
rendered unconscious and sustained
about the head and
arms
Granville Ferguson. New Castle.
cut about the arms.
Harry Hallman. New Castle, cuts
on the hands and arms.