Miss Mamie Davis, 15-year-old girl, is in a local hospital in critical condition as a result of a head-on collision between a Ford touring car driven by Henry Newsome and an Overland Sedan driven by Odell Saulter yesterday afternoon about 3:30 o’clock on the Black Creek Road about four miles from Wilson.
The young girl, who was riding in the car driven by Saulter, was thrown through the windshield of the car, by the impact, evidently against the side of the Ford, inflicting a fracture of the skull, which according to attending physicians may prove fatal.
Immediately following the accident the girl was placed in a passing automobile and rushed to a local hospital where it was found she was suffering from a fractured skull and several other minor injuries. An operation was performed last night in the hopes of saving the life of the young girl, who up until 12 o’clock today had not regained consciousness since the accident. Today her condition was reported as unchanged from last night and hopes for recovery were slight.
Attorney Snaps Accident
W.A. Finch was employed as attorney by Mr. James Newcome of Lucama, father of Henry Newsome, driver of the Ford, this morning, in case any legal action is brought about as a result of the accident. Mr. Finch immediately had the cars, which were removed to local garages last night, taken back to the scene of the wreck, and placed in the position they were in after the crash, and photographs were taken to show the relative position of the two cars after the collision.
According to the position of the cars, immediately after the crash, and the marks left in the asphalt road by the broken spring and wheel on the Overland, both cars were almost in the middle of the road. While it is said by witnesses to the accident that the Overland was not on the right hand side of the road.
Miracle Occupants Escaped.
After viewing and examining the condition of the two automobiles, which are practically demolished, it can easily be said that it was a miracle that the occupants of both cars escaped without being instantly killed.
Miss Davis, who was the only occupant of either car who was seriously injured, was accompanied by Odell Saulter, driver of the car, whom it had been reported, was catapulted through the windshield of his car, but this report has not been confirmed. Misses Ida and Estelle Bardin and Wilson Salter were the other occupants of the car, all of whom escaped with cuts and bruises of a minor nature.
Henry Newsome, driver of the Ford, was accompanied by Kurti Ellis and Elton Moore, who also escaped with only minor cuts and bruises.
Practically Demolished
Both automobiles were practically demolished by the terrific impact. the entire front of the sedan being torn away while the body was damaged considerably by being torn loose from the springs. The front fenders were mashed flat against the front of the car, the springs and wheels were also torn off. Practically every glass of the sedan was broken.
The touring car escaped with less damage, one wheel being torn off the fender and radiator smashed against the body, the front axle was snapped off and the windshield and steering wheel broken and part of the top torn.
Left for Prayer Meeting
The accident occurred only a few hundred yards from the Davis girl’s house, which place they had departed only a few moments before to attend a prayer service being held at ?? Church where the Teenage Girls Club of Wilson was holding a service. When they neared the drive, just ahead of which the tragedy happened, the other car appeared before them, and while the cause of the collision has not yet been defined it is said that one of the drivers became confused and cut in front of the approaching car, the other driver noticing the cut, attempted to avoid an accident by turning in the opposite direction, when the other driver suddenly cut back again, thus causing the terrible accident and which probably explains the positions of the cars.
From the front page of the Wilson Times, Tuesday, July 15, 1924
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