The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-10-04
WAR HERO
DIES WHEN
AUTO SK|DS
Linton Cox Jrp Aviation
Star Killed as Machine
Driven by Lieut.. HaISteadI
Police Department, Up
sets Near Straughn, Ind,

Linton A. Cox, Jr., 26, Of 2O0S N.
Meridian ST., son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Linton A. Cox. World War veteran,
was killed and three members of the
Indianapolis police force were in
jured in an automobile accident one
eighth mile west of Straughn. Ind.
forty-seven miles east Of Indianapo-
lis on the National Rd. about a. m.
today.
MotOrcycleman John Norman was
seriously injured and Lieut.. o. Earl
Halstead and Sergt. John Gish suf-
fered imnor injuries.
All except Gish were members of
the aviation reserve corps Of the
United States Army and were on
their way to Dayton, Ohio. to attend
the air races there.
Doctor Telephones
An Indianapolis physician tele-
phoned Indianapolis police at 7:40,
saying he was following the car and
Witnessed the accident. Immediate
" upon receipt Of the message. Po-
lice Captain Fletcher rushed an
emergency squad TO the scene.
Cox, who was secretary TO Con-
gresham Merrill Moores. was a
member Of the famous 'Hat-in-the-
Ring" aviation squadron during the
World War. Can't. Eddie Ricken-
backer was a member of the same
outfit
Dar:rg Pilot in War
He was regarded as splendid
pilot, daring, cool headed and brave.
His ability won for him a position
on the flank in squadron fight, a
position given only to the best avi
ators. On one occasion when at
lacked by three German planes he
escaped by throwing his own plane
into a tail spin, frequently a fatal
thing in itself, dropping almost to
the ground and then succeeded in
''fiattening cut" safely.
He was Only 19 years Of age when
he entered the aviation service. His
early training was at Wright Field,
Dayton, Ohio. Later he was in an
instruction camp with Quentin
Roosevelt. who was shot down short
iy before the end Of the war.
Upon his discharge from military
service he returned TO the Univer
sity of Wisconsin and was gradu-
aCed from there in 1920.
Good Tennis Player
Cox was a remarkably good tennis
player, his showing in the recent
city tournament here being one of the
sensations Of the week of play. He
carried into his tennis the same
fighting spirit which characterized
him du.ing the war and during the
week he literally battled to victory
against mechanically better players
on several occasions.
He is survived by his parents, four
brothers and two sisters, Thomas
Harvey Cox, Addison H. Cox, Frank
H. Cox, William E. Cox and Mrs. L.
B. Whitaker, all Of Indianapolis, and
Mrs. Hubbard Hathaway Of Detroit.
Mich.
Cox's neck was broken and his
left lung punctured by a lead pen
ell. He was pinned under the right
running board of the car. He also
suffered internal injuries, accord
ing to V. T. Davis, coroner Of Henry
County.
The body was taken to the morgue
at Lewisville.
MoOrman's Leg Broken
Moorman's right leg was broken
and he may be suffering from inter
nal injuries, according to DR.. George
Beckett of Lewisville. Halstead was |
cut about the head and Gish suf- !
fered several cuts on the hands. |
The injured men were taken to In
dianapolis in an ambulance.
According TO witnesses, the acci- |
dent occurred at a point where the
Terre Haute. Indianapolis & Eastern |
Traction Co. line cuts into the mid |
die Of the roadway from the north |
side of the road. A car driven by |
W. A. Zeknder of Jewett, Ohio. was |
headed west and IN crossing the |
tracks got partially on the left side |
Of the road. Halstead put on his |
brakes for a distance Of about $50 |
seet. skid marks show, then the car
turned at right angles, slid about |
forty-fve feet, turned over, rolled |
back upon its wheels. plunged into
the ditch and came to rest against
a telephone pole.
Resident Sees Crash
Marion Haskell, who lives about |
fifty feet rom the place where the
accident occurred, said:
'I was sitting at the breakfast
table when I heard the sound of sud- |
denly applied brakes on an automo-
bile. I rushed to the door in time
10 see the car. a big CadillacS skid
forty-five feet, turn over and |
around and stop against a pole
headed west.
when I got there Cox was pinned
under the running board, dead.
Moorman lay on the right side Of
the car, his right heel caught in the
vreckage; Gish and Halstead were