News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-06-14
Prominent Hyde Park Women
Killed in Auto Accident
Mrs. Arthur Mercer and Miss Marjorie Hulburd Meet Death in
Terrible Auto Accident in ROyalOn-TwO Others Have
Miraculous Escape-Mrs. r. S. Page Still Alive.

Never before in the history of thi.
locality has such calamity befaller
us as that which occurred last Fri
day when the auto driven by Mrs
Russell Page plunged into White
River at North Royalton, some 7C
miles below this place, and carried
with it to death Mrs. Arthur Mercer
and Miss Marjorie Hulburd. In the
car besides Mrs. Page and the two
victims were Mrs. Harry Noyes and
Mrs. Lucius Noyes. The latter also
went into the river, but was rescued
before drowning.
The party was returning from the
Federation Club meeting at Spring
field, where they had passed two days
most pleasantly, and they decided to
come home via Williamstown Gulf, a
different route from that taken when
they went down. All went pleasantly
until they came up behind large
truck which was on it's way from
Providence to Stowe. The truck was
slow in turning out and in passing
it the right wheels of the auto ran
along on the edge of the grass which
suddenly gave way, causing the car
to topple over and drop some ten
feet, throwing out Mrs. H. A. Noyes,
who was on the front seat at the
right of Mrs. Page. The car paused
moment and then went over into
the river about six feet, turning over
twice, taking with it into the water
the other occupants of the car. They
were all under the car and the lug
gage. Mrs. Lucius Noyes did not lose
consciousness, but managed to get an,
arm out of the water and was
rescued by the men from the truck
who had hastened to the car at once.
By herculean efforts they lifted the
car enough to release Mrs. Mercer
and Miss Hulburd, in a very short
time, but they were both dead.
Mrs. Page was taken from the
water in an unconscious condition,
thought to be dead, but after strenu-
Gus work she breathed, but did not
regain consciousness until some hours
later. Both the Mrs. Noyes' were
considerably bruised. Help SOON came
and the surviving ones were taken
to the home of Mr.. Zottman, farmer
living near. Physicians were sum-
moned and the two bodies were taken
to an undertaker's at South Royalton.
Very fortunately Harry Varnum of
Jeffersonville, who happened along
soon after the accident, recognized
the parties and rendered great aid,
as did the two truckmen and others.
Hyde Park people were notified
and Russell Page, Mr.. and Mrs. D. H.
Scribner and others went to the
scene.
Mrs. H. A. Noyes and Mrs. L. H.
Noyes returned to Hyde Park the
next morning and Mr.. Page and Mr..
and Mrs. Scribner remained with
Mrs. Page. They are still there and
last reports from Mrs. Page are that
she has regained consciousness and
taken some nourishment, but pneu-
monia has set in. Notwithstanding
this the physicians give hopes of her
recovery. Two nurses and three ply
sicians are in attendance.
No blame whatever is attached to
the driver of the auto. There is a
long stretch of straight road and it
looks perfectly safe, but there was a
deceptive spot and that caused the
disaster.
The two bodies reached here Sat
urday evening and were met at the
train by a large number of sympa-
thetic friends. Under the direction
of Undertaken White the remains
were taken to their homes.
The burial took place Tuesday
afternoon, a double funeral being
held at the Congregational Church.
Rev. Charles Hamlin of Amherst,
Mass, and his son, Rev. w. R. Ham
in, of North Bennington, the latter
a pastor here for several years, Off
,iated. The senior Hamlin spoke
very impressively concerning Mrs.
Mercer and his son feelingly alluded
% the life and character of Miss
Hulburd AS a part of the service
Mrs. E. G. Page rendered on the
,rgan Handels Largo, Beethoven's
Unfinished Symphony" "Hark, Hark.
Nv Soul" and "For All the Saints"
The interments were made in the
village cemetery. The bearers were:
or Mrs. Mercer. f. f. Pettee, Jeffer-
ION Borden, Arthur Mercer, Jr..
4. M. Mcfarland. Perry Foster and
a. Fl. Lewis; for Miss Hulburd. Ben I
amin Hulburd. Roy Hamlin. L. H
loyes, H. A. Moves, Clay Fisk and
Proctor Page. The floral tributes