Centerton, IN Train And Auto Collision, May 1912

FOUR ARE KILLED AS ENGINE OF AUTO STALLS.

Martinsville, Ind., May 27 -- W. D. BROWN and his wife, aged 54 and 52 respectively; BESSIE CURE, aged 17 and BONNIE BAILEY, aged 18, were instantly killed at Centerton, six miles north of here, at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon when an interurban car struck the automobile in which they were riding. EDDA BROWN, a son, who drove the auto, jumped and escaped death.
The automobile, with its party of five, had just reached the crossing of the tracks of the Martinsville division of the Indianapolis, Terre Haute and Eastern Traction company, and would have had ample time to have effected a safe crossing ahead of an oncoming car had not the engine of the automobile stopped dead from some unknown cause. The machine was stalled so unexpectedly and the interurban car was so close that the accident could not be averted.
Before the four of the occupants of the auto machine had an opportunity to escape the interurban car traversed the short distance and struck the automobile squarely, wrecking it and throwing it into the ditch.

Four Instantly Killed.
MR. and MRS. BROWN and the two girls were badly crushed. They were thrown into the ditch under the wreckage. All were killed almost instantly. MR. BROWN was a wealthy retired farmer. The bodies were brought to heir homes here.
EDDA BROWN, who jumped when he saw he was unable to get the machine started, was severely injured and was carried into a nearby house by passengers from the interurban car, who summoned physicians from this city.
The accident occurred on a sharp curve near the Centerton postoffice, where it is almost impossible to see a car approaching from either direction. Only a few weeks ago a boy was killed on the crossing.

The Evening Gazette Iowa 1912-05-27
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!