ONE KILLED IN THREE CAR WRECK SUNDAY

THREE CARS WRECKED AND ONE CASUALTY IS THE RESULT

Richard Low Jr., 18 years old, of Omaha, was killed almost instantly shortly before seven o’clock Sunday evening in a head-on collision near the John M. Compton dairy farm on paved Highway 73 north of Blair. He was the son of the former business manager of the Omaha Western league baseball club and city director of public relations.

Three other Omahans and three residents of Oakland, Nebr., were shaken up and bruised, but none seriously injured in the crash, which involved three cars.

The Omahans were Bill Shawhan, 319 North Thirty-eighth street, Low’s companion and driver of the car. Ed Swanson, 603 North Thirty-first street, and Erick Sandron, 2629 North Seventieth street. The Oakland residents were Theodore Wallerstadt, his wife, and two-year-old child.

The accident is reported to have occurred when the Shawhan car attempted to pass two other machines, one being towed by the other, in charge of Donald and Eugene Husk, young farm boys north of Blair.

The Omaha machine collided with that in which Wallerstedt and his family were riding. A car following the Wallerstedt machine driven by Sandron, was unable to avoid the wreck, and both Swanson and Sandron were thrown through a windshield, suffering face and head cuts.

Shawhan was cut and bruised about the face and suffered severely from shock, he and Low having been long-time chums.

The body of the dead man and other accident victims were brought to Blair in a gravel truck, passing motorists advising the measure in the belief that Low might still be alive. All were treated at Court View hospital.

Young Low’s body was taken to the Gentleman mortuary in Omaha. His parents and the step-parents of Shadhan, Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Hutchinson, 319 North Thirty-eighth street, having come to Blair at once after being told of the accident. Services for Low were held in Omaha Wednesday.

Pilot Tribune 1 Nov 1934

Omahan Killed, Three Injured, In Triple Crash

Dick Low, Jr., Omaha, Dies In Bad Car Smashup Here Sunday

Injured Persons Brought To Blair

Accident Occurred as Omaha Car Was Passing Another and Crashed Head-on Into South-Bound Into: Third Car Hit Wreckage

Richard F. Low, jr., 21, of the Sanford hotel, Omaha, was killed and three others were injured badly on a head-on collision of two automobiles several miles north of Blair on highway 73 late Sunday evening. A third car crashed into the wreckage shortly after the first accident, and two Omahans received cuts and bruises when thrown through the windshield.

The injured, all of Omaha, were: William Shawhan, 319 North 38th street, driver of the car in which Low was riding; cuts and bruises, severe shock.

Ed Swanson, 08 North 31st street, driver of the auto which struck the wreckage; bruises, bad cut on head.

Eric Sandron, 2629 North 70th street, passenger with Swanson; severe scalp wounds, bruised forehead.

According to witnesses the accident occurred when the Shawhan car attempted to pass two other machines, one being towed by the other, in charge of Eugene and Donald Husk of near Blair.

The Omaha vehicle crashed head-on into a car being driven south by Theodore Wallerstedt, Oakland, who was riding with his wife and two children. Both machines were wrecked, and Low suffered a crushed skull. Wallerstedt was not hurt. Just the ? ? Omaha ? driven by Swanson and carrying Sandron crashed into the rear of the Oakland car.

Low and the injured were rushed to Court View hospital in Blair, where Low succumbed upon arrival. The body was taken to the Bendorf Funeral Home, and was later removed to the John A. Gentleman mortuary in Omaha.

Low, employed in the offices of the federal housing administration in Omaha, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Low, sr., of Omaha. The elder Mr. Low is the former baseball club manager in Omaha and city director of public relations here. Young Low is also survived by a brother, Roy.

Funeral services for Low were held Wednesday.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~