The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-07-13
GRIM TRAGEDY
STALKS GROUP
OF HAYRIDERS
Automobile Sweeps Close To
Truck Dangling Legs Of Joy
Riders-Snap Go Legs

"A group OF thirteen DoyS dilu
girls on a hayride; legs dang
ling over the side of the truck.
Laughter and song. A car ap-
proacheS from around a curve;
screams-and two boys and
two girls are thrown out along
the highway; one boy with
both legs broken, one girl with
her foot badly crushed. and
the others slightly injured.
Thus could one describe n ghaat-
ly accident which happened on the
Hertfortl Highway Wednesday
night. Thirteen boys and girls de-
cided that a hayride would he lots
of fun and a good way of escaping
the heat IN town. SO they piled i'll
to Chevrolet truck Charlie Ives.
driving. They set ont for Hertford.
Two miles the other side W00dville
there Is n long curve The truck.
which was making about 20 miles
an hour. was just going around the
curve when a Dodge coupe. driven
by Joe Harris. Negro labOrer whose
home is in Burgaw but who is at
present employed here, came around
the curve from the opposite direc-
ton. As the truck and the Dodge
passed. the Negro maybe blinded by
the trucks headlights. ran too close
to the truck and swept four of the
young persons, two boys and two
girls of the truck leaving them
scattered along the highway at n
distance of fifteen or twenty feet.
apart.
The rest Of the party were too
stunned for minute. to think. but
as soon as they recovered from the
shock. several Of. the boys jumped
off the truck and ran after the
Dodge. which had kept on going
after striking the boys and girls.
They came upon him about Il mile
down the highway. The negro had
stopped to wipe the bl"Od out of
his eye. flowing from cash on
his forehead. His windshield had
been broken by the flying legs of
some one OH the truck, and particles
of glass had cut him. One OF the
bows drove him to Elizabeth City
where his wounds were Scwgl up by
DIR. e. r. Williams. The, boys and
girls were picked up and brought to
the Elizabeth City hospital in the
truck.
At the hospital it WAS found that
Walter Kirby. 1S-year-old youth who
il employed by Weeks and Sawyer
had both legs broken below the
knee. the right one heing broken III
about five places. He IL re,tin2 IN
the hospital now md it is feared
that his leg will have to he ampu'
tated. One Of the girls, Mary Own
lev. had her left foot badly crush
ed and almost torn off. but it will
not have to he amputated. accord
ing to the physician who examined
1T. The others, Dorothy Warden
and Harry Lee Winslow, were only
scratched and bruised. and were
able to go home after their wounds
were dressed.
No one seems to know just where
the blame should be placed. but
Harris surrendered himself to
Sheriff Carmine of this county
Thursday morning. Later in the
day warrant was secured from
Sheriff Whit Wright, of Perquimans
County. where the accident occur
red. charging him with reckless
driving. He will be tried In Perqul'
mans court next week. but it is
doubtful tina. anything will come OF
the trial since lie was neither speed
ing nor under the influence OF
liouor. Also in his favor Is la"
against persons projecting their legs
arms. or other parts of their body
beyond the fender or body OF the
vehicle in which they are riding.