Morgan Killed, Weller Injured, Lumley Hurt in Motor
Crash Near Harpursville
Binghamton Press, June 12, 1912
A sandy strip of road at the end of a bridge a mile and a quarter west of Harpursville [Broome Co., NY] caused an automobile accident last evening, and Lewis H. Morgan of the John L. Morgan Company was instantly killed and H. Pierce Weller of The Press staff had both legs broken. By a strange chance, neither Mr. Morgan nor Mr. Weller was thrown from the car, while two others, who were catapulted 20 feet escaped with slight injuries. They were Harry Lumley, the former captain manager of the Binghamton baseball team and Raymond C. Schroeder of Carbondale. George A. Morgan, cousin of Lewis H. Morgan was at the wheel of the car and was not injured.
The rear of the car was wrecked by being slapped against the end of the iron railing of the bridge when it skidded in the road. The accident occurred at 7:15 and was witnessed by Mrs. Frank Thompson, wife of a former schoolmate of Mr. Weller, and her little daughter, Leona, who live but a few rods over the bridge toward Harpursville. It was but an instant before aid was at hand and Mr. Thompson assisted George Morgan in moving the car so that the body of Lewis Morgan could be removed. His head was pinned between the side of the car and the bridge railing.
Mr. Schroeder is a guest at the home of George Morgan on Chapin street, and with Lewis Morgan and Mr. Lumley they had gone to the ball game in George Morgan's car, a 1912 Hudson 31. After the game they invited Mr. Weller to join them for a ride, and it was proposed that they take Mr. Lumley to his farm in Colesville, so that Mr. Schroeder might see some of the country hereabouts. They drove to Sanitaria Springs, where they had a lunch and it was proposed that they go over the hill to Harpursville, in as much as the evening was pleasant and the roads fine. They had mounted Belden Hill and were well on the road to Harpursville driving easily with the car under good control.
Beyond Belden hill there are two bridges over Belden creek. The first is a red iron bridge with a high railing and the second an iron bridge with a lower lattice rail. At the west end of the second bridge there is a slight difference between the grades of the road and the bridge. To save the bounce when the car passed onto the bridge, George Morgan, who was driving, applied the foot brake. When he checked the brake, the rear wheels slipped in the dust of the road, and the car skidded against the end of the bridge rail. The body of the car, just back of the front seat, caught the impact, and the car stopped suddenly. Lumley and Schroeder dove head foremost through the air over the windshield, which was half closed and landed on the plank floor of the bridge. Lewis Morgan was shaken half from his seat, on the left side of the car, beside the driver, and his head was caught between the side of the car and the bridge rail. Mr. Weller was twisted about in the tonneau, and crumpled into a heap with his back against the front seat, and facing the rear. George Morgan, perhaps braced by his foot on the brake, was not moved from his seat at the wheel. He was conscious of his cousin, still in the seat at his side, and thought him unhurt. Looking over his right shoulder, after two of the men in the tonneau had hurled over his head, he saw Weller and heard him moan. He started to lift Weller, who said "Don't Mind Me. I'm afraid Lewis is hurt badly." Mr. Morgan then turned to his cousin and found blood gushing from his mouth and ears. Lumley and Schroeder were able to pick themselves up, and blood was streaming from a cut on the top of Lumley's head. He had landed fairly on the top of his head.
Little Leona Thompson was playing by the side of the creek, and Mrs. Thompson had happened to be looking up the road toward the car. She at once called Mr. Thompson, who rushed out. Passing was another car in which were an unknown man with several ladies and children. He stopped and ran back, and together they pushed the Morgan car side and released Lewis Morgan. It was evident that death had come to him instantly, for he did not make a noise. The body was laid on the grass at the road side and Weller was placed on a back board and drawn to the Thompson home.
Dr. Butler was called from Harpursville by phone and came quickly. Dr. Hannett of Nineveh also was called. Dr. Butler notified Coroner Stillson of Windsor of the death of Mr. Morgan and he lost little time in reaching the scene. A little later Dr. P.M. Miller of this city and Dr. Parsons of Marathon drove up in Dr. Miller's car. They had been at Delaware co. and had stopped at the home of Dr. Butler in Harpursville, where Mrs. Butler had told them of the accident. Meanwhile the body of Mr. Morgan was removed to Clark's undertaking home at Harpursville. The first message that reached Binghamton came to The Press and a car started for the relief of the party at 9 o'clock making fast time over the hills.
Mr. Weller found himself in kindly hands. He and Frank Thompson had been schoolmates years ago at Chenango Forks. Dr. Butler happened to know that Mr. Weller's sister, Miss Anna Weller was teaching school at Tunnel nearby, and phoned her of the accident. She reached her brother's bedside while the physicians were working over him. They found the right leg broken between the knee and the ankle and the left broken in the ankle. The injury to the ankle was complicated and Dr. Miller was anxious to have the patient removed to the City Hospital as soon as possible, where it would be possible to readjust the bones under the most favorable conditions. All of the small bones in the ankle appeared to be broken. It was 11 o'clock before the surgeons had finished their work over Mr. Weller. He refused at first to take a sedative to ease the pain of the operation, and yielded only upon the insistence of the doctors. Dr Butler remained with him until nearly midnight.
Lumley's head was bound up in lint and bandages, and Schroeder, who suffered extreme nausea from the shock of landing on his back, and from a wrenched right ankle, received attention also. George Morgan went to Harpursville to arrange for the care of the body of his cousin. His sufferings though of a different sort, were no less keen than those of the other members of the party, who had sustained bodily injuries. Until everything necessary had been done, he exercised the greatest fortitude, then he broke down. "Poor Lewis, poor Lewis," he sobbed. "Why couldn't it have been my head that was smashed."
Soon after midnight, when it had been arranged to have Mr. Morgan's body brought home on a D.&H. train this morning, Mr. Weller was left with his sister to the kindly ministrations of the Thompsons and Lumley, Schroeder and George Morgan were brought to Binghamton in The Press car. On the way the party met Ellis W. Morse driving Frederick H. Nelson of the John L. Morgan Company and J.V. Beazley, and a little later, a party of chauffeurs who had heard of the accident and were coming out to render what assistance they could. Nearer the City, Frank Davis and another party were passed, driving over the hill at top speed to do everything that might be done for the injured.
When Lumley was let down at the North Side Hotel there was an affecting moment when he parted from George Morgan. The others went at once to the home of Mr. Morgan on Chapin street. Mr. Weller's mother was visiting in Cortland and was notified by phone early this morning of the accident and came to the city on the first train. A telephone message from Harpursville this morning said that Mr. Weller had passed a comfortable night, and that Dr. butler hopes that it will be possible to bring him to the City Hospital some time tomorrow.
Lewis H. Morgan is survived by his wife, Pearl Disbro Morgan and two children, Dorothy, three years old, and John, two months old; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Morgan, one sister, Mrs. Harvey Bennett and one brother, Edward Morgan, all of this city. Mr. Morgan was vice-president of the firm of Bennett, Morgan & Co., of which John L. Morgan is president. He was prominent among the younger business men of the city. The funeral will be held on Friday at a time and place to be announced later.
Mr. Weller found himself in kindly hands. He and Frank Thompson had been schoolmates years ago at Chenango Forks. Dr. Butler happened to know that Mr. Weller's sister, Miss Anna Weller was teaching school at Tunnel nearby, and phoned her of the accident. She reached her brother's bedside while the physicians were working over him. They found the right leg broken between the knee and the ankle and the left broken in the ankle. The injury to the ankle was complicated and Dr. Miller was anxious to have the patient removed to the City Hospital as soon as possible, where it would be possible to readjust the bones under the most favorable conditions. All of the small bones in the ankle appeared to be broken. It was 11 o'clock before the surgeons had finished their work over Mr. Weller. He refused at first to take a sedative to ease the pain of the operation, and yielded only upon the insistence of the doctors. Dr Butler remained with him until nearly midnight.
Lumley's head was bound up in lint and bandages, and Schroeder, who suffered extreme nausea from the shock of landing on his back, and from a wrenched right ankle, received attention also. George Morgan went to Harpursville to arrange for the care of the body of his cousin. His sufferings though of a different sort, were no less keen than those of the other members of the party, who had sustained bodily injuries. Until everything necessary had been done, he exercised the greatest fortitude, then he broke down. "Poor Lewis, poor Lewis," he sobbed. "Why couldn't it have been my head that was smashed."
Soon after midnight, when it had been arranged to have Mr. Morgan's body brought home on a D.&H. train this morning, Mr. Weller was left with his sister to the kindly ministrations of the Thompsons and Lumley, Schroeder and George Morgan were brought to Binghamton in The Press car. On the way the party met Ellis W. Morse driving Frederick H. Nelson of the John L. Morgan Company and J.V. Beazley, and a little later, a party of chauffeurs who had heard of the accident and were coming out to render what assistance they could. Nearer the City, Frank Davis and another party were passed, driving over the hill at top speed to do everything that might be done for the injured.
When Lumley was let down at the North Side Hotel there was an affecting moment when he parted from George Morgan. The others went at once to the home of Mr. Morgan on Chapin street. Mr. Weller's mother was visiting in Cortland and was notified by phone early this morning of the accident and came to the city on the first train. A telephone message from Harpursville this morning said that Mr. Weller had passed a comfortable night, and that Dr. butler hopes that it will be possible to bring him to the City Hospital some time tomorrow.
Lewis H. Morgan is survived by his wife, Pearl Disbro Morgan and two children, Dorothy, three years old, and John, two months old; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Morgan, one sister, Mrs. Harvey Bennett and one brother, Edward Morgan, all of this city. Mr. Morgan was vice-president of the firm of Bennett, Morgan & Co., of which John L. Morgan is president. He was prominent among the younger business men of the city. The funeral will be held on Friday at a time and place to be announced later.
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