The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-04
Child HIKER
dies AS AUTO
SPEEDS AWAY.
Tragedy SWoopS on Family,
Trudging Back to Old
Home Welcome.
MOTHER BADLY INJURED
Sister Is Hurt; Mystery
Surrounds Order to
Leave CitV.

Some one" still driving an auto
today, killed child and danger
ously injured the childs mother,
as they tried to hitch-hike their
way home out Of poverty Sunday
some one" in Indianapolis sent
the child and her mother into
deaths path on U. S. Road 40 near
Terre Haute.
The dead child is Ruth Haines, II.
She was killed by a hit-and- run
motorist Sunday evening near Terre
Haute, while hitch-hiking with her
mother, Mrs. Edna McDaniels, l
North Jefferson street, and her
sister, Madonna, 9, to her grand
parents in Marshall, III.
Mother Badly Injured
Mrs. Mcdaniel suffered a skull
fracture and was taken to Terre
Haute hospital. Her condition is
dangerous. Madonna suffered
slight Injuries and was treated in
a hospital at Brazil.
According to neighbors and the
landlady at the North jefferson ave-
nue. address in this city, woman
came to the McDaniels' home Fri
day and gave her twenty -four hours
to leave the city with her chill
dren.
The neighbors declare the WON
an was from "the juvenile court"
But Juvenile Judge John F.
Geckler investigated the report to-
day and declared it groundless.
Ordered to Leave
Neighbors say Mrs. McDaniels
and her two children left early on
Sunday morning, saying they were
going to the home of her father
John Shonk, Marshall, III.
"The children carried roller
skates with them to skate along
the highway" one neighbor said.
The accident occurred at the crest
OF a viaduct on the National road
near Terre Haute. Ruth and Ma
donna were roller skating. The
mother was walking. A car travel
ing at high speed plunged into the
family group as it dipped over the
hill creast and continued on its way
without stopping.
Passing motorists rushed the in
jured to hospitals. A broken neck re-
suited in the death o. the eldest
child.
Letter Tells Story
Identification was established
through a letter in the mothers
purse, which said the father Of the
girls would be released from the
Illinois state prison soon and would
return to Terre Haute. Mrs. Nc
Danields had remarked.
Workers of the Family Welfare
Society in this city have been pay
ing the rent and aiding the fam
lily since October, 1880.
Investigators said they had not
visited the North Jefferson street
home for some time. They said
they paid the family's rent for
May and requested the landlady,
Mrs. r. D. Giddens, to inform
Mrs. Mcdaniel to obtain clothing
for her children at the society's
headquarters.
''She never came for the cloth
ing" said a society worker.
Failed to Ask Help
Mrs. McDaniels mentioned several
times that she desired to return to
the home of her father in Illinois
and we told her that whenever she
was ready, to come to us and we
would provide here with transpor-
tation. It would not have been
necessary for her to .hitch-hike,
the worker added.
Efforts to learn the identity OF
the some one" who ordered Mrs
McDaniels to leave town within
"twenty-four hours" proved fruitleSs
today.
In the meantime, state police and
Terre Haute officers are searching
for the motorist who drove death
down upon the family group and
then sped ruthleSSly away.