Woman Badly Hurt in Auto Accident
Article taken from The Portsmouth Times, Friday, December 19, 1913
Mrs. Solomon F. Dever and her neice, Mrs. Oscar Kearns, members of prominent Madison township families, were the victims of a distressing accident Friday morning when an automobile in which they were riding, driven by Mrs. Dever's son, Oral, plunged over an embankment on the Dever pike near the resident of J.D. Fannin, four miles east of Harrisonville.
Both women sustained serious injuries about the head and shoulders, the full extent of which have not yet been determined, in addition to a severe nervous shock, which added to the seriousness of their condition. Mrs. Dever was also painfully bruised about the face and chest. Oral Dever, the driver, escaped injury, a slightly mashed finger being the extent of his bruises. Neither woman was injured fatally, it was announced Friday afternoon.
The sudden snapping in two of the steering rod of the machine as it was nearing the approach to the bridge on the Dever pike rendered it beyond the control of the driver, and it swerved to the right, crashing over an embankment three feet high into a cornfield. The women, who were riding inthe rear seat, were thrown from the car alighting in a soft sand bar which broke the force of their fall. Orla Dever was still in his seat when the machine alighted on all four wheels in the corn field.
He took in the situation at a glance, and after assuring himself that both passengers were still alive rushed to the Fannin residence near by for assistance. Members of the Fannin family assisted in carrying the victims to the house, where a hurry call was put in for medical assistance.
Dr. William Seitz of Harrisonville, was in his office when the call came, and he hurried to the scene in his automobile. Both victims were unconsious when he arrived, but they were soon revived and made as comfortable as possible. As soon as they had recovered from the terrible shock, it was seen that they were not as seriously injured as had first been thought, although they will be laid up for several days.
From the nature of the injuries, the women must have alighted on their head and shoulders, as it is in those regions where the injuries are most serious. Outside of the bruises on Mrs. Dever's face and chest, there were no abrasions of the body and no bones broken. The injuries are mostly internal and unless unforseen complications develop, will not be attended with fatal consequences.
Mrs. Dever and Mrs. Kearns both of whom have a host of friends in Portsmouth, had started early Friday morning in the (unreadable) at Jackson County. Mrs. Kearn's mother, Mrs. H. B. Adams, who suffered a seirous accident by falling from a wagon about a week ago. They hadn't proceeded over a few miles from the Dever home when the accident occured to mar the day's pleasure.
Both Mrs. Dever and Mrs. Kearns are well known in Portsmouth where they have a host of relatives and friends, having visited here often. Mrs. Dever, is the wife of Solomon Dever, a a wealthy and prominent farmer of Madison Township and a cousin of Judge Noah Dever and Mrs. William R. Micklewaite of this city. Mr. Dever was at home when the accident occurred, but arrived soon afterward, and assisted in the care of the injured. Mrs. Kearns is the wife of Oscar Kearns, a prosperous young farmer of Madison township, and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Adams of the same township. She is a niece of H. B. Adams of the Ohio Valley bank.
Women Auto Victims Much Better Today
Article taken from The Portsmouth Times, Saturday, December 20, 1913, p. 10
Reports from the bedsides of Mrs. Solomon Dever and Mrs. Oscar Kearns, victims of the serious automobile accident on the Dever pike, east of Harrisonville, Friday morning were to the effect that both women passed a comfortable night and that their chances of speedy recovery were very bright.
It developed that both Mrs. Dever and Mrs. Kearns suffered more from the shock of the terrible experience than from actual physical injuries.
So improved was their condition late Friday afternoon that they were removed from the Fannin residence, near where the accident occurred, to their own homes. Both women were bundled up on cots and conveyed to their homes in two spring wagons, and they suffered no bad consequences from the trip.
As related in Friday's Times, the steering rod on the automobile snapped in two suddenly while the machine was on the approach to a bridge, and it swerved to the right and plunged over an embankment about four feet high into a corn field. Oral Dever, son of one of the victims, who was driving the machine, was unhurt. The automobile was only slightly damaged.