Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1950-07-07
Autos Take Big Toll as Heavy
Traffic Moves Through
Vacation Area

With three fatalities to it's dis
credit, Ottawa County more than
added its share to the CORY Fourth
of July holiday toll, which took
more than 600 lives throughout
the nation.
Arlington Beck, So, Tiffin, was
fatally injured when he. was
struck by a mail express train
ON the New York Central Rail-
road drawbridge, one mile west of
the city, at 10:11 Saturday night.
Mr.. Beck, who suffered the loss
of his right leg and left arm, pass
ed away early Tuesday in Magru-
der Hospital.
Two Others Die
Oliver Deal, sc, rural Oak Har-
Dor, was killed instantly at $50
Monday afternoon in an auto mis-
hap near the Ottawa County
Home, Route 163, eight miles west
of the city, and ten-year-old Cali
vim j. Lemke, son of Mrs. Velma
Lemke, Rocky Ridge, was drown
ed Fourth of July forenoon when
he fell into the deep quarry near
his home.
Seriously injured i'll the accident
Monday were Beryle Deal, 38.
! Toledo, son of the victim, and
Donald r. Crozier, %, also of Oak
Harbor. Both men were brought
to Magruder Hospital where
Deals condition Wednesday vas
reported as very poor and Cro-
zier's as fairly good.
State Highway Patrolmen in
vestigated the accident. Crozier
was driving the car, and the trio
was enroute to Port Clinton to
purchase bait for a proposed fish
ing trip. 1t was thought that the
driver misjudged the curve, the
car crashing into the ditch and q
culvert.
Crozier had returned to his
home only two days earlier fol-
lowing two weeks training with
the Oak Harbor National Guard
Company at Camp Atterbury,
Indiana.
1t was believed that the car was
travelling rapidly as it flew
through the air for a distance
after striking the concrete abut-
; ment. The vehicle, 1850 auto,
was completely demolished. Mr..
4,lr - pnh
/ inson Funeral Home IN Oak Har-
Dor.
Surviving Mr.. Deal are the
/ widow; 13 children including
, daughters, Mrs. Steve Macy, Erie
Gardens, and Mrs. Richard Dav-
enport, Catawma Island, and son,
Russell Deal, Christy Chapel Road,
r and 25 grandchildren. Funeral
e services were to be held Thurs
day afternoon at two in the Rob-
inson Mortuary, Oak Harbor.
5 Mr.. Beck, who, with his son-in-
!. law, Cecil r. Stump, also of Tif-
4 fin, had spent the day fishing
e along the railroad bridge, passed
: away in Magruder Hospital at
$40 a. m. Tuesday.
According to Deputy Hetrick,
Beck and Stump were walking
across the drawbridge when they
suddenly noticed the fast ap-
7 preaching train. Stump stepped
off the track onto a concrete
set-off and shouted to his father
in-law to join him.
: Evidently confused, Beck tried
to run off the drawbridge but
was struck by No. 232 before he
could reach safety. The train
stopped and backed up, so that
n Mr.. Beck could be placed aboard
: the baggage car.
Heavy fishing twine was used
by Stump and volunteers to place
!, tourniquets on Mr.. Beck's leg and
arm. The train stopped at the
> local depot where Beck was trans
ferred to J. A. Neidecker am
= bulance and was rushed to the
y hospital. His right leg was
practically severed by the train,
= and was amputated. His left arm
was so seriously crushed that it
- was amputated, and he also suf-
!, fered loss of several teeth and a
:. skull fracture.
Three Car Wreck
!, Treated at the hospital for
: minor injuries early Sunday were
Eugene Hayman, Sycamore; Rob-
ert Brinniger annd Walter War
j rem, Tiffin, who were involved in
= three-car accident in Route 53,
o five miles west of the city.
il Deputy Sheriff Myron Hetrick
: arrested three drivers in as many
n mishaps, two of the men being
fined for driving while intoxicated
: and the third for being in con-
t troll of an auto while physically
n unable.
Hayman, Brinniger and Warren
! suffered cuts and bruises at 2:15
! Sunday morning in three-car
), accident near the Robert Ritter
d home in Bay township. They