Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-12-04
ANOTHER VICTIM
OF FAIR TRAGEDY
Miss Emma Pingley Dies From In
Juries-Echo of Accident

The third victim of the automobile
tragedy on the Martinsburg pike on
the night of September End last. was
added to the list when Miss Emma
Pingley died Saturday morning at
Strasburg, Va, following injuries
sustained at that time
Miss Pingley passed away at the
LONE of her brother, Edward Ping
ley, in Strasburg, where she was
taken about ten days ago after ly-
ing in Winchester Memorial Hospital
from the injuries sustained when an
automobile operated by John Jones,
a negro. of Martinsburg, West Va.
ran into party of young people
consisting of Miss Pingley, Miss Mel
lie j. Brill. of Winchester, Calvin
Fincham, of Rappahannock county,
Va, and Oscar Dodson, of Madison
county. Va
Both Fincham and Dodson were
instantly killed. Miss Pingley sus-
tanned a fractured leg and hip and
was injured internally, while Miss
Brill by jumping behind their own
car, managed to escape with slight
injuries.
Removed TO Strasburg
Miss Pingley fingered between life
and death until ten days ago, when
a slight improvement being noted in
her condition, it was thought best to
move her to the home of her brother
in Strasburg. Her death is said to
have been due to the internal injur-
les sustained and to a complication
of diseases.
Miss Pingley was about 80 years
of age and was a daughter of the
late Mr.. and Mrs. David Marion
Pingley. both parents being dead.
She had been living in Winchester
for the past several years and had
an apartment in the liable flats. |
Surviving her are four brothers, Ed
ward Pingley, of Strasburg. Va;
George Pingley, of Mountain Falls,
Frederick County; Lee Pingley, of |
Middletown and Frank Pingley, of
West Virginia.
Two Instantly Killed
Fincham and Dodson, who were
killed, had attended a carnival at the
fair grounds, during the Winchester
fair There, about $50 O'Clock at
night they met Miss Pingley and
Miss Brill and drive in Dodson's
automobile was suggested. The
quartette had gone as far as Ridge
way, W. Va, on the Martinsburg
pike, and were returning to Win
chester when a high-powered auto
mobile containing party of drunk
en- negroes from Martinsburg, who
were on their way to a negro dance /,
in Winchester, and travelling at SO
miles an hour, ran into the party
who had gotten out of their car to
repair a rear tire. Dodson, Fin I,
cham and Miss Pingley were struck
by the Martinsburg car as they stood
in a line in the roadway. while Miss
Brill escaped death by jumping in
the protection of their own automo-
bile. The two men we're thrown upon
the radiator of the speeding automo-
bile, carried quite distance and
their bodies then fell in the roadway
both being instantly killed, while
Miss PingIey was thought to be in a
dying condition.
Death Car Continued Flight.
The death car never stopped after
running the people down but contin-
ued toward Winchester, colliding
with two other cars travelling in an
opposite direction. In this city the
negroes attended the dance and early
next morning, about two o'clock,
drove back to Martinsburg, passing
the spot where a few hours earlier,
they had blotted out two lives and
now have taken third victim.
Due to intelligent detective work
by the sheriff of Martinsburg and /
many other officials. the identity of
the occupants of the car was disclos-
ed. Half a dozen negroes were ar
rested and finally colored woman, I
through jealousy. confessed that
John Jones had been the driver OF
the car. His companions confessed, /
but claimed that they were too drunk
to even realize that any accident |
had occurred. Several of them
were taken to Winchester and LODI
ged in Jail, but they were subse-
quently liberated. as it was shown
that while they were in the party.
they had nothing whatever to do
with the killings.
Subsequently Jones pleaded guilty
and received five years in the peni-
Tertiary, where he is now undergo
ing sentence.