The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-10-09
STALLED CAR HIT
BY WILD ENGINE
Morris Petersen and Miss Lor-
eta Kinney Jump from Doom
ed Vehicle and Escape with.
out Injury but Fail in Attempt
to Assist Companions Who
Are Swept to Destruction.

! MISS Mary Petersen, "a years old.
only daughter Of Mr. and Mrs VIII
liam c. Petersen Of Scott street, this
village, and Miss Beatrice o. Loomis.
II years old. daughter OF George
+! LoomiJ of North Bennington. were In
stantly killed at the Hoosick crossing
about 1880 o'clock last night when
the automobile in which they were
motoring to Hoosick Falls was hit by,
Bonston and Maine locomotive run
ming wild between North Adams and
Troy. Morris Petersen. Miss Peter
sens cousin. and Miss Loretta Kin
ney. daughter OF Patrick Kinney Of
West Bennington. jumped from the
doomed car before the impact and es-
capped uninjured.
Other automobile parties going to-
! ward and coming from Troy or Hoo
sick Falls arrived on the scene imme-
diately after the accident A physic.an
living in the vicinity was Immediately
summoned but Miss Petersen and Miss
Loomis were beyond medical help and
the doctor stated that both had been
instantly killed. Both bodies were
badly b.oL II but not severely man
gled. death n both instances appar
emily being due to fractures OF the
skull
The car, recent model Gardner.
was completely wrecked. 1t was car
ried fully quarter of mile on the
pilot OF the locomotive and when pried
away the engine fell out OF the mass
of twisted steel and iron. Fragments
of the car were strewn along the
track more than hundred yards.
Miss Petersen and her cousin. Nor
! ris, left home sometime after 10
o'clock in the evening. The young
wdman's father had taken long ride
during the day with some OF the neigh
bors as passengers and was delayed In
reaching home by the rainy weather.
When he arrived the daughter was
anxious to take a short ride and was
given permission with the understand
ing that Morris was TO be one OF the
party. Morris had key to the tailor
shop on South street where he Is
employed by his uncle. Stopping at
the shop, Miss Petersen went to the
telephone and called up the Putnam
Memorial hospital where she was EN-.
ployed as. registered nurse. She
found Miss Loomis and Miss Kinney,
maids at the hospital. preparing to re.
tire for the night but they readily
agreed to take ride to Hoosick Falls.
1t was probably in the vicinity OF
IL o'clock when the four left the hos.
pital. Miss Petersen was driving and
Morris Petersen was on the right hand
front seat. The maids were In the
rear seat.
AS the car neared the Hoosick cross
ing Morris told the dryer that there
was train approaching but that she
had time enough TO pass over the
tracks According to Morris state.
ment. the young woman did not at
tempt to proceed but applied the foot
brake so abruptly that the car skid
ded, swung at an angle and stalled
upon the track. The young man,
realizing the danger. called to his com.
panions to jump. He sprang from the
seat. ran around in front OF the car
and attempted TO pull Miss Petersen to
Z safety. He released her arm just as
the locomotive swept the car and Its
occupants to destruction. Petersen
says he does not know how Miss Kin.
. ney managed TO get out Of the car
before the impact but says that Miss
Looms was in the act OF leaving when
/. the crash took place.
, AS soon as he recovered from the
momentary shock, Petersen began
J, seaching for his companions. He found
: the body of Miss Petersen lying be-
. tween the tracks but short dis.
+ lance from the crossing. She was ly'
D ing with her head upon her arm and
4 at first he had hopes that she was
! not severely injured He spoke her
( name and received no answer He rails
:. ed her hand and released 1t and the
a arm fell dead weight at her side.
! The body of Miss LOOMS was 10
!. Gated at a further distance from the
crossing. There were reports that the
$ young girl was still breathing when
r found but this hardly seems probable
:, in view of the extent of her injuries
Continued on Third page)