NEWSPAPERS: Car accident, Jackson County, Oregon *************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with United States Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by noncommercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 29 July 2003 *************************************************************************** Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Thursday, 7 Nov 1940, p. 1, c. 2 1 KILLED, 5 HURT IN HEAD-ON CRASH W. T. BRYANT, 30, SUFFERS FATAL SKULL INJURIES Don Lawrence and Robert Bragg Seriously Hurt--Cause Mishap Uncertain. One of Jackson County's worst automobile collisions in years, occurring on the Crater Lake highway's Kincaid hill about a mile this side of Eagle Point at 7:30 last night, brought death to one person, and sent five others to Community hospital, one of them critically injured. Suffering fatal injuries was W. T. Bryant, 30, of 310 Portland avenue. He died shortly after noon today with a fractured skull and a broken back. He never regained consciousness after the crash. Injured were: Don Lawrence, 38, of 1017 West Main street--fractured skull, broken shoulder and shock and bruises. Robert Bragg, 37, of 437-1/2 South Central avenue--fractured pelvis, broken left leg, head, face and leg lacerations. Denver Evans, 51, of Trail--severe bruises and abrasions, not seriously injured. Dale Evans, 22, of Trail--cuts and bruises, not seriously injured. Verne Stout, 27, of Trail--cuts, bruises and shock, not seriously injured. Lawrence's attending physician said today that the injured man was in a "very critical condition," but that he was showing signs of improvement. Bragg, according to his doctor, was seriously but probably not fatally hurt. He was conscious, the physician said, and resting fairly easily. Denver Evans and his son, Dale, and Stout were not seriously injured. Young Evans and Stout were expected to be able to leave the hospital today. The six accident victims were passengers in two cars, which collided head- on at the crest of a slight rise in the highway and on a straightaway, according to investigating state policemen. State police said that Lawrence, accompanied by Bragg, was driving a 1930 Chevrolet sedan west on the Crater Lake highway, and that Denver Evans accompanied by his son, Stout and Bryant, was operating a 1936 Ford sedan east on the highway. The two cars, apparently traveling at considerable speed, smashed squarely into each another. Following the terrific impact the Chevrolet caromed off the highway and turned over on a dirt road intersecting the Crater Lake thoroughfare. The Ford remained partly on the highway. The Chevrolet was completely demolished, while the Ford was towed to the Lewis Super Service station. Stout, the only one of the six able to talk coherently after the mishap, told state police that he was sitting in the back seat of the Evans car and had no idea how the two machines came to collide. State police said that the highway was so wet and rough they were unable to determine the point of impact. The Perl ambulance, summoned to the scene, made two trips to remove four of the injured to the hospital. Lawrence and Dale Evans were brought to Medford on the first trip, Bryant and Stout on the second trip. Arthur Larsen, driver of the ambulance, said that all but Stout were either unconscious or so shocked they could not talk. A passing motorist brought Denver Evans and Bragg to the hospital. District Attorney Frank J. Newman planned to make a thorough investigation of the circumstances to determine whether to hold an inquest. There will be an autopsy performed on Mr. Bryant to determine the actual cause of death. Obituary will be published tomorrow. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Friday, 8 Nov 1940, p. 13, c. 3 Parents Coming--Rev. and Mrs. E. P. Lawrence are expected to arrive in Medford this evening by stage from their home in Idaho, according to Medford friends. They have been called here by the serious injuries of their son, Don Lawrence of 1017 West Main street who is confined in Community hospital. Lawrence was injured in an automobile accident Wednesday evening. The Rev. Mr. Lawrence was once pastor of the Presbyterian church in Medford and moved from the city about ten years ago. He is well known in the valley. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Sunday, 10 Nov 1940, p. 10, c. 2 FINAL RITES FOR ACCIDENT VICTIM Wythe Tompkins Bryant, a resident of Southern Oregon for the past 4 years, and an employee of the Tiller Lumber Company near Trail, Oregon, passed away in a local hospital on Thursday, following an automobile accident on the Crater Lake Highway. Wythe was born in Wise County, Virginia on March 12, 1910, being aged 30 years. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Sunday, 10 Nov 1940, p. 10, c. 3 INQUEST CALLED ON CRASH DEATH The district attorney's office reported yesterday that an inquest into the fatal automobile accident on the Crater Lake highway near Eagle Point last Wednesday night, which cost the life of W. T. Bryant, 30, of Medford and sent two persons to Community hospital with serious injuries, would be held as soon as all witnesses became available for testimony. Six persons were in the two cars which collided head-on, and all were injured. Community hospital attendants said last night that Don Lawrence, 38, of Medford and Robert Bragg, 37, of Medford, were resting fairly well and that their conditions were unchanged. Lawrence suffered a skull fracture and a broken shoulder in the accident, while Bragg sustained a fractured pelvis and leg. Both are seriously injured. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Monday, 11 Nov 1940, p. 6, c. 2 WYTHE T. BRYANT FUNERAL TUESDAY Funeral services for Wythe Tompkins Bryant will be conducted from the Perl Funeral home Tuesday at 2 p.m., Rev. Sherman L. Divine, pastor of the First Presbyterian church officiating. Interment will take place in Siskiyou Memorial Park. He is survived by four sisters, Miss Ethel Bryant of Eskdale, W. Va., Mrs. Uva Basham of Hansford, W. Va., Mrs. Virginia Omeara of Dorothy, W. Va, and Mrs. Alice Meadows of Medford. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Thursday, 14 Nov 1940, p. 3, c. 5 INQUEST FRIDAY IN BRYANT DEATH An inquest will be held at 7:30 Friday night into the Crater lake highway automobile collision last Wednesday night that took the life of W. T. Bryant of Medford, County Coroner Frank Perl announced today. The inquest, in charge of District Attorney Frank J. Newman, will be held at the Perl Funeral home. Members of the jury will be Maynard Bush, H. N. Butler, H. F. Platt, A. F. Adams, Guy Crosby and E. H. Sleight. Witnesses will be state police, a physician and all passengers in the car which was driven by Denver Evans of Trail--himself, his son, Dale, and Verne Stout. Don Lawrence and Robert Bragg, both of Medford, who were in the car which collided with Evans' vehicle, are confined in Community hospital, Lawrence with a serious skull fracture and Bragg with a fractured pelvis. Lawrence will be unable to testify at the inquest but the jury will go to the hospital to receive Bragg's testimony, Coroner Perl stated. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Friday, 15 Nov 1940, p. 5, c. 6 BRYANT INQUEST SLATED TONIGHT An inquest into the auto accident which caused the death Nov. 6 of W. T. Bryant of Medford will be held in the office of County Coroner Frank Perl at 7:30 tonight. Witnesses to testify include passengers in the two cars which collided, state police and a physician. The machines which met head-on on the Crater Lake highway near Eagle Point were operated by Denver Evans of Trail and Don Lawrence of Medford. Lawrence is confined in Community hospital with a fractured skull and will be unable to testify. Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Sunday, 17 Nov 1940, p. 12, c. 3 ACCIDENT DEATH WAS UNAVOIDABLE INQUEST REPORTS A coroner's jury, inquiring into the Crater Lake highway automobile accident, November 6, which cost the life of W. T. Bryant of Medford, found the fatal mishap "unavoidable." The inquest was held at the coroner's office last night, and was conducted by District Attorney Frank J. Newman. Testifying were Dr. Edwin Durno, State Policeman Phil Stansbury, Denver and Dale Evans, Vern Stout and Robert Bragg. The two Evans and Stout were passengers in the machine which collided head-on near Eagle Point with a cr operated by Don Lawrence of Medford. Bryant also was a passenger in the Evans machine. Bragg, riding with Lawrence, suffered a fractured pelvis and the coroner's jury went to Community hospital to receive his testimony. Lawrence, confined in the hospital with a fractured skull, was unable to testify. None of the witnesses, according to the district attorney's office, was able to give a clear description of the accident nor give a reason for it. Members of the jury were Maynard Bush, H. N. Butler, H. F. Platt, A. F. Adams, Guy Crosby and E. H. Sleight.