Joe D. Hill
Nov. 22, 1914-Aug. 6, 1936
Niles Daily Star, Thursday, August 6, 1936, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library
7 KILLED IN AUTO CRASH
SIX MEN AND GIRL DIE IN TERRIFIC SMASH ON US-31, 3 MILES SOUTH
Joe Hill, of Niles, and 3 Soldiers Riding With Him Among Dead;
Indiana Car in Third Lane on 40-Foot Super-Highway 3
Miles South of Town Causes Head-on Collision
DRIVER TRIES PASSING THREE ABREAST
Eye Witnesses Say Both Cars Going at High Speed When They
Were Smashed to Bits by Impact; Motor of Hill Car Thrown
25 Feet Away; Both Vehicles Were Coupes
Seven torn and mangled bodies—one that of Joseph Hill, 21, Niles—lay in Niles and South Bend mortuaries today, grim evidence of the awful toll in Berrien county's worst highway crash, which brought two light coupes together in a terrific head-on collision at 1:05 o'clock this morning on US-31, a quarter-mile north of Bertrand road.
“And Sudden Death,” topic of county safety, lessons and campaigns, had the last laugh as he surveyed his ghastly work of wiping out two motoring parties.
The dead:
JOSEPH HILL, 21 years old, 540 Oak street, driver of one of the cars. He is a son of Mrs. and Mrs. Henry Hill.
ROY WARNER, 22, Culver, Ind., the second driver.
MISS LORENE BARR, 19 South Bend.
RICHARD A. PETERSON, 22, South Bend.
PVT. HERBERT J. HIZER, 18, St. Louis, Mo.
PVT. HOWARD C. KELLEY, 22, St. Louis.
PVT. EUGENE NEWBY, 23, St. Louis.
All except Newby died almost instantly in the crash which raised the county's highway accident toll to 17 so far this year. He was taken to Pawating hospital, where he died two hours late, at 3:19 o'clock—without regaining consciousness.
One other victim of the collision was rushed to the hospital, but was dead upon arrival.
Hill Driving North
Hill, driving north, was returning from South Bend with Hizer, Kelley and Newby, who arrived in Niles late Wednesday with the detachment of troops en route to the army war maneuvers in Allegan county. All were riding on the driver's seat.
Miss Barr and Peterson were with Warner en route to South Bend, where all were employed.
The two cars collided head-on, apparently at terrific speed, as Warner swung far over into the third lane to pass two other southbound cars running almost abreast at the time.
The impact hurled Warner's body through the back of the one seat. He was found crumpled in the rumble seat. His car came to a stop just off the concrete on the west side of the road.
Hill's body was jammed behind his steering wheel, while his three erstwhile companions were thrown from the car onto the pavement. The Hill car was knocked to the east side of the concrete.
Eyes Witnesses Talk
Two eyewitnesses told officers of the four-car “jam” that was held responsible for the wreck. The were William Miller, 1107 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka, and his companion, Medford Hingham, 414 Lincoln Way West, Mishawaka.
The said Miller, who was driving south, was in the second lane, passing another south -bound car. They told officers the other car being driven south, by Warner, pulled around them, into the third lane—far to the left of the center line.
Hill, according to their account, (Continued on page Two.) reached the spot at the same time. The Mishawaka youth said they could not tell if Hill were in the first or second lane. Miller immediately after the crash, turned his car about to play the lights on the scene.
Time of the accident was fixed by officers who found a watch at the scene. It had stopped at 1:05 o'clock.
The bodies were removed in three ambulances and officers began contacting parents or relatives of the victims, along with officers of the army unit encamped at the municipal airport.
Bodies Mangled
Dr. L.M. Rutz, city health officer, who reached the scene while driving home from South Bend, examined the bodies before their removal, and declared they were in “as bad a condition as any he had ever seen” as a result of an accident. All seven had been badly crushed and bruised, and death in practically every case was due to skull fracture.
Both cars were coverted[sic] into virtual junk heaps by the force of the collision. The engine was torn from each machine, the one from the Hill car being tossed full 25 feet from the car body.
Both cars were towed to the LaPointe garage here, where hundreds who examined them described them as “the worst” they had seen in the line of wrecked machines.
City police joined Sheriff Charles L. Mill, Deputy Claude Huff and Coroner Kerlikowske in their investigations.
No Inquest
It was decided an inquest would not be necessary. The cause of the crash was apparent.
A special car was dispatched to Camp Custer, Battle creek, early this morning to obtain suitable clothing for the soldiers. Army authorities pressed arrangements for full military services.
Two other soldiers, Corporals Jay Guss and George Francis, were given orders to appear today before a military board to answer charges of disorderly conduct as a result of the crash.
Riding with Paul Kirk, 1248 Ferry street, and two more soldiers, they reached the accident scene while en route to the airport from a beer tavern near the state line.
Guss and Francis aided in removing Newby and another victim to the hospital. Later, when it was found both were dead, they posted themselves “on guard” and created a disturbance when officers south to continue their investigation. It was said they had been drinking.
They were held a short time by officials before being place int eh custody of a military guard. Their hearings today may mean demotion to private rank.
Hill Funeral Friday
Hill's body was removed to the Rutherford mortuary, where funeral services will be held at 3 o'clock Friday afternoon. The Christian Science service will be read by Mrs. Durlin Wheeler,and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
He was associated with his father, Henry Hill, in the latter's furniture and radio business here. He was born Nov. 22, 1914, at Albion, Ind.
He is survived by his parents; a brother, Louis, and two sister, Isabelle Hill and Mrs. Vernon Anderson, all of Niles. . . .[remainder is obituary information for other victims] . . .
Niles Daily Star, Friday, August 7, 1936, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library
JOSEPH HILL RITES HELD; BODIES OF 3 SOLDIERS GO HOME
Local Youth, who was Killed With Six Others in Crash, Buried in Silverbrook
Funeral services for Joseph Hill, 21 year old, victim of the car crash on UW-31 early Thursday morning were held this afternoon at 3 o'clock in the Rutherford chapel.
Mrs. Durlin Wheeler read the Christan Science service and pallbearers were Woodrow Aldrich, Chester Everman, Donald Prince, John Perkins, Jr., Hack Pethick and Malcolm Collins. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.
The bodies of the three privates in the Sixth Infantry were shipped early this morning to their homes in St. Louis, Pvt. Howard C. Kelley and Pvt. Eugene Newby from the Rutherford mortuary and Pvt. Herbert J. Hizer from the Turner and Pifer funeral home.
. . . . [details of services for other 3 victims] . . .