The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-01-15
Townley's Brother,
Not G.. Criffith h
Dead in Smashup
Mistaken Identity Due to
Papers in Borrowed Car
Girl Companion Tells
Details of Accident.

Lincoln. Jan. 14.-tSpeciaLNE. S.
Pau Townley, 3s, brother of A. c.
Townley. national organizer Of the
Nonpartisan league, was killed last
night by Burlington passenger train
No. near Havelock station, instead
Of George Griffith. head Of the league.
Griffith was at first reported TO be
the dead man. Identification Of Town.
ley as the Inflated driver OF the ma
chine struck ~ the train was made
today by Miss Viola Grasse. Nonpar-
tisan league stenographef. and living
occupant of the death car, who is in
local hospital with a broken nose
and other painful and serious in
jrries.
Faulty Identification made by coun-
ty officials last night was explained
by Miss Grasse as due to the fact that
early in the day Townlet drove Grif-
fifth to Omaha in the latter's machine.
Griffith was to go from Omaha into
Iowa TO meet United States Senator
Smith w. Brookhart. Townley drove
the car back to Lincoln. In the car
Griffith left portfolio and other per-
sonal effects which led to Identified
tion made by officials. Townley's
clothes were torn to shreds and no let
ters We're found on his person.
Didn't See Train.
Il was closing the >Nonpartisan
league office at last evening when
met Mr.. Townley. who had just re-
turned from OMAHA" Miss Grasse
said. He invited me to take short
ride before dinner. We drove out on
the Cornhusker highway a few miles
and were returning when the train
struck us. / didn't see II until the
crash"
First intimation that there had been
a case of mistaken Identification was
received this morning when relatives
Of Griffith in Minneapolis. who knew
OF his plan to go into Iowa, Saturday,
called Jesse johnson. former state
manager OF the league. johnson
viewed the body and stated positive
~ ii was not Griffith and looked like
one OF Townley's brothers. Then JOS
eph Gilbert, editor of the Nonpartisan
league paper, The New State, identi-
fled the body as that Of Z. S. Town
ley. Later in the day when Miss
Grasse had recovered from the ner-
vous shock sufficiently TO be inter-
viewed. she confirmed Gilbert's iden-
tification.
. Survived by Widow.
Z. S. Townley has a widow in Min
neapolis. who is reported to be quite
/ i'll. He was employed TO purchase mo-
tor cars for the league organization
and keep the machines in repair.
Townley arrived in Lincoln few days
ago to purchase 1928 license tags for
league cars in Nebraska. His brother.
a. c. Townley. is in California. A. c.
Townley's wife also is reported TO be
critically I'll.
/ Mr.. Townley. it was said today, was
not only an organizer for the league,
but was in charge Of the many auto
mobiles used in organizing work.
He was in Nebraska. it was explained.
/ to check up car records. His home
was at Minneapolis, and his wife. it
was said. is in the employ OF the
league. with headquarters in the Star
building. that city. Miss Grasse
formerly lived in Minneapolis. but
has made Lincoln her home for some
time. Her father is at Seattle, Wash.
/ She asked that her grandmother.
Mrs. E S. Grasse. 120 Eighth street.
/ Fargo n D. be notified.