Putnam patriot., 1929-08-08

Arthur Benoit. %, and his brother, Edward. 20, sons of Mir. and Mrs. John Benoit, School street, were in- stantly killed Saturday afternoon shortly after three o'clock when an automobile driven by Richard Wheeler of this city and car driven by Thornton Barr, instructor in the drafting department at the Putnam State Trade school, side-swiped just over the Putnam town line in Thomp- son just south of Mechanicsville vil- lage. The Benoit brothers were in the Wheeler car and both were thrown out. Arthur's neck was broken, while Edwards side was crushed in and. 1t is believed, his ribs punctured his lung.
 How Cars Were Damaged
 The tire and rim on the left hand rear wheel of the Wheeler car were torn off and the running board on the same side damaged as far as the front mud guard. The only damage appear ing on the Barr automobile was an up- ward V-shaped depression on the right hand running board. It would appear from viewing the cars that the rear wheel of the Wheeler car might have come in contact with the right hand mud guard of the Barr ma chine.
 The Wheeler car ran up a slight embankment and came to stop with the front end headed toward the road. Wheeler Is quoted as saying to the police that both of his friends were thrown out and that the car did not tip over. He remembers little about how he himself came through the ac- cident. It would seem that the wheel held him in and protected him.
 The Barr car proceeded a short distance and was brought to a stop. In few minutes several automobiles were parked at the scene of the acci- dent. In one of the cars was Patrol man Alpherie Sponcey, who was re- l turning from West Thompson. He | gave what aid he could and helped to | put the Benoit brothers into a truck after cushions had been placed for | them to rest upon. They were taken | to the hospital, but it is believed both met instant death.
 The place where the accident hap pened Is on slight curve that straightens out on what is sometimes called the Mechanicsviiie fiat" there being open fields on both sides of the | highway.
 No Eye Witnesses
 There were no eye witnesses of the accident, as the Barr machine had | passed the Wheeler car when the crash came. Mir. Barr had his wife and two children with him. They were on their way to spend the weekend in Boston. but returned to Putnam after the accident. Wheeler and his two friends left the city to go to Worees- ! ter.
 Stories first told were that the Wheeler car had rolled over several times. The fact that the windshield was not broken, the ear having no ! top, would substantiate the story that the machine did not tip completely over. That the car did not crush the life out of the Benoit brothers seems to bear out this theory, as there were no marks upon their bodies to show that any heavy weight had rested upon them.
 There is no house near the scene of the accident so that no telephone could be used. A passing automobile driver was requested to get word to the authorities. When the state police barracks at Danielson heard of the tragedy Officer Cyrus Chamberlain was detailed to make checkup of the accident. The scene was viewed, pho tographed, and measurements taken by the state officers. Wheeler was or dered held by Coroner Arthur c. Bill of Danielson after he had viewed the bodies at the Day Kimball Hospital Wheeler spent the night at the state police barracks. He was released Sunday after his father, Ralph Wheel CT of Stonington, posted a bond of 5000. Wheeler returned to Putnam during the day.
 Cars Brought In
 The automobile driven by Wheeler, a Chrysler roadster without a top, and the Barr car, a Chevrolet sedan, were brought to Putnam and locked up in the automobile storeroom of Frank Jarvis, proprietor of the Liv- cry Street garage.
 Wheeler is employed by the Putnam division of the Eastern Connecticut Power Company, gas department. ' His home is in Stonington Arthur