The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-01-31
HAROLD OFT, 5, is KILLED
IN COASTING ACCIDENT
Was Son Of Mr.. and Mrs. Paul
OFT, Oakland-Death Due to
Crushed Skull Tuesday Night
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Harold OFT, aged eight years,
was almost instantly killed, and
Lawrence Welch, IA, was seri-
ously hurt when the sled upon
which they were coasting collid-
ed with an automobile on Lib
erty street in Oakland Tuesday
evening about 7:15 o'clock.
Young OFT suffered a crushed
skull, a broken leg and neck and
other injuries and was apparent
ly dead when picked up from the
street by Mrs. Floyd Leighton,
who witnessed the accident. The
boy was taken to the office of DR.. E.
l. Baumgartner where he was pro-
nounced dead by the physician. The
child was son of Mr.. and Mrs. Paul
OFT, of Oakland.
His coasting companion, Lawrence
Welch, aged IA, was riding on top Of
OFT as they descended the Liberty
street hill and suffered a crushed knee
cap, which may possibly result in a
permanent injury, and many bruises
about his face and body. He was rem
dered unconscious and was taken to
the office of DR.. N. I. Broadwater and
later to Memorial Hospital, Cumber-
land, by his father, Dewey Welch.
Leslie Ashby, of Crellin, driver of
the automobile involved in the acct
dent, gave himself into custody of the
county authorities. An immediate in
vestigation was set on foot by States
Attorney Neil C. Fraley and at the
coroner's inquest held that evening
over which Magistrate Charles F.
White presided, the jury returned a
verdict generating the driver of the
automobile and recommended that he
be released from custody, holding that
the accident was not caused by crim-
inal negligence on the part of Ashby.
The elaboration of the jury was short.
According to Ashby, the car he was
driving is owned by Albert Stops, Of
Frostburg. Ashby said he failed to
see the special city officer, Wilbur
Davis, patrolling the shedding area,
and was attempting to avoid another
sled coming down the hill toward him.
The sled he was watching carried
carbide lamp and he did not see the
one upon which the two boys were
riding until it was directly in front
of him. He said he then attempted to
miss the sled by cutting his car to the
left, but the sled also cut in the direc-
ton he was going and struck directly
back of and beneath the front bumper.
Miss Mildred King and Mrs. Leigh
ton corroborated the statements made
by Mr.. Ashby. Miss Margaret Lyon
and George Kerins, who were nearby
when the crash occurred, also testi-
fed before the jury, as did Doris Co.
law and Odell Colaw, of Crellin, who
were riding in the rear seat of the car
driven by Ashby.
Special Officer Davis said he en-
deavored to stop Ashby from entering
Liberty street, west of Wilson street,
but the driver failed to heed his warn
ing. Davis said he did not blow his
police whistle but did wave flash
light and yelled at the driver. A score
or more of children and adults were
coasting at the time.
Members of the coroner's jury were
Joseph E. Harmed, foreman; Harold
Dawson, Donald R. Sincell, Charles F.
Hammond, Paul Naylor, Joseph STAN
ton, F. D. Bittle, Henry Smouse, Por-
ter Dewitt, Frank Pifer, Bruce Col
Inns and Samuel Aronhalt.
Besides his parents the OFT child is
survived by brother, Jennings, IL
years old; sister, Louise, 9 years
old, and number of other relatives
in Oakland.
Funeral services for the child will
be conducted tomorrow afternoon at
2:30 o'clock from the home of Wilbur
Davis, Wilson street, the Rev. w. S.
Patterson officiating. Interment will
be in the Oakland cemetery.
The Welch boy is a son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Dewey Welch, of Oakland. The
father, who took the child to Cumber-
land, said he was four hours in reach
ing that city due to the icy condition
of the highway.