-o-
TRAIN CREW DID NOT KNOW OF COLLISION WHICH THREW VICTIM ON FRONT OF ENGINE — ALMOST FROZEN GIRL FINALLY LOSES HOLD AND FALLS SAFELY INTO SNOW DRIFT
-o-

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Dec. 26.— While Mrs. Mary Clark .age eighteen, was recovering at the Methodist Hospital Friday from her terrifying experience of a twelve-mile ride in a near zero temperature, clinging to the cowcatcher of a locomotive, her mother-in-law, Mrs. Lilly Clark, age. Forty-three. died at the City Hospital of injuries received in the automobile accident in which the younger woman was tossed on to the front of the engine.

The husbands of both women were hurt in the accident that occurred at Massachusetts and Hamilton avenue. Christmas night, when the automobile in which they were riding was struck by the locomotive.

While police shortly after the accident at 7:45 o’clock were searching the tracks in the direction the Big Four Knickerbocker Special had speeded away its crew ignorant of the crossing crash, Mary Clark was clinging to the cowcatcher of the locomotive.

Twelve miles through the bitter cold, with the velocity of the New York express whipping the air into an arctic gale, Mary Clark clung to the pilot of the engine. Her screams for help were flung to the countryside and many left warm fires as the train sped past farm homes and wondered whether those screams were shieking car wheels. Some called the authorities and railroad men who saw her on the engine as it shot through the yards telegraphed ahead to have the train stopped. But time was precious and so was strength for Mary Clark soon became exhausted. Her body blue with cold and her numb fingers loosing their clasp on the bar of the cowcatcher, she slipped safely from her perilous perch into a snow-drifted ditch beside the tracks near Oaklandon and the eastbound special sped on.

Farmers and persons in the neighborhood heard her cries and soon found her. By that time she had lost consciousness. She was taken into the home of Pearly Apple, a farmer, where authorities soon arrived and sent her to the hospital.

The warning signal bell at the crossing was not ringing, according to a report by Motor Policemen Schley and Mitchell, after their investigation of the accident. Dr. Paul F. Robinson, coroner, said he would investigate to determine why the bell was not in operation. Others Not Seriously Hurt Kenneth Clark, age twenty-two, husband of Mary Clark was in the City Hospital suffering from injuries to his spine, which were not regarded serious. Clyde Clark, forty-seven, husband of Mrs. Lilly Clark, was knocked unconscious but was discharged from the hospital Thursday night with what were believed only bruises on his head. Friday morning however, hee returned to the hospital for further attention. William Hartman twenty-months-old son of Mrs. Mary Hartman, 1148 Knox avenue, daughter of Clyde Clarke, was unhurt although he was hurled from the auto in the crash to side tracks at the crossing.

The Clark automobile was almost across the tracks driving south in Massachusetts avenue witnesses told the police, when the speeding train struck the rear wheels.