A shocking accident occurred here about noon Sunday. Fulton McCracken had come down from Arlington to spend Sunday with his mother and was going down town when he failed to see a car driven by Mrs. John Rhoades of Blair, and was knocked down and died from the effects in about one hour. The Rhoades family went on to their farm near Elk City and did not hear of his death until evening. Fulton was taken to Dr. Anderson’s office but nothing could be done. The funeral was held yesterday from the M.E. church, Rev. Hammi of Arlington, officiating. He leaves three little daughters to mourn his loss, also his aged mother, who has not yet recovered from the shock, and several brothers and sister.

#2 Published in the Blair Democrat Sept 6, 1917

Mrs. John Rhoades Fatally Injures Man At Kennard

While on their way to visit a farm they had recently purchased down near Elk City, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Rhoades had the misfortune to run into and fatally injure Fulton McCracken on the main street of Kennard last Sunday about noon.

From what can be learned of the accident, Mrs. Rhoades was driving the car and was going at a moderate rate of speed, when McCracken stepped out from a bunch of men in front of the old Nissen store and started to cross the street toward the drug store. At the time Mrs. Rhoades saw him and thought he would get out of the way and paid no further attention to him until the car was within about six feet of the man, at which time Mr. Rhoades reached over and blew the horn and Mrs. Rhoades tried to throw the car, which was a Ford, into neutral. When Mr. McCracken heard the horn he stopped and the car bumped in to him.

In the excitement of the accident it is presumed Mrs. Rhoades continued to press her foot on the clutch, throwing it into low and dragging the injured man about twenty feet before the car finally run over him. Mrs. Rhoades failed to get the car stopped even then, and it is said her husband finally put his foot on the brake and brought the car to a stand-still.

McCracken was immediately taken to Dr. Anderson’s office and an examination made of his injuries. It was found that four of his ribs were broken and it was decided to bring him to the Blair hospital where better facilities were to be had for an operation to lift the broken ribs from his lungs. But McCracken had been injured internally and died while the preparations were being made to bring him over here.

We understand Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades remained in Kennard a few minutes after the accident happened and then went on their way, never realizing how seriously they had injured the man and it was not until they returned from Elk City about 5:00 o’clock that they learned that the poor fellow had passed away.

A post mortem examination held on the remains Sunday afternoon disclosed the fact that in some manner McCracken’s liver had been cut in two, and it was this that caused his sudden death. The funeral was held in Kennard Tuesday.

McCracken’s mother had been ill for some time and the news of the accident came as a heavy blow to her. All day Monday she lay in a state of coma and the attending physician holds out very little hope of her recovery.

At the inquest held in Kennard yesterday morning before County Attorney Mencke, as ex-officio coroner, a verdict was brought in stating that McCracken came to his death from injuries sustained by being struck by a Ford automobile owned by John A. Rhoades and driven by Mrs. Rhoades, and the jury further found that the same was purely accidental and placed no blame on either Mr. or Mrs. Rhoades.

C. M. Ward and the following witnesses were examined: Iver Williamsen, Edward Johnson, Leslie J. White, Mable Pearl Hunt, Lillian Johnson, John A. Rhoades and Dervie Hall

#3 Printed in the September 7, 1917 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

FATAL AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT

FULTON McCRACKEN RECIEVES INJURIES AT KENNARD CAUSING HIS DEATH

Fulton McCracken was struck by a Ford car, driven by Mrs. John A. Rhoades, just before the noon hour last Sunday and fatally injured, dying an hour or so later.

Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades and their children in their care and Ed Johnson and children following them in their car, were enroute to a farm south of Elk City, in Douglas county, recently purchased by Mr. Rhoades. Mr. Rhoades was sitting beside Mrs. Rhoades in the driver’s seat, and in passing through Kennard, McCracken was struck by the car in the middle of the street, after leaving the crossing over which he had started, the car passing over him before it could be stopped. He was assisted to his feet immediately by Mr. Rhoades and others, and walked with assistance to Dr. Anderson’s office where he was examined by the Doctor, who decided to take him to the Blair hospital where he could be better cared for, expressing his opinion that the injuries were not of a dangerous nature. After remaining at the doctor’s office forty minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades, thinking the injuries were not serious, continued on their journey. A short time after they left Mr. McCracken died. On their return about five o’clock in the evening, Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades were shocked on their arrival at Kennard when notified of his death.

County physician Langstaff, sheriff Mehrens, and county attorney Mencke were notified and went to Kennard. In the postmortem examination made by Dr. Langstaff it was found that several ribs were broken and had punctured the liver causing hemorrhages that occasioned death.

County attorney Mencke, ex-officio coroner, selected the names of six persons to sit as a jury at an inquest held on Wednesday. At this inquest, Ever Willumsen, Ed Johnson, John A. Rhoades, Leslie White and two Kennard school teachers, Misses Mabel Hunt and Lillian Johnson, all of whom witnessed the accident, as did also Dervie Hall, brother-in-law of the deceased, who was not a witness of the fatality. At the conclusion of the testimony, the jury returned the following verdict:

THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, Washington County.

At an inquisition holden at Kennard in Washington county, on the 5th day of September A.D. 1917, before me, Henry Mencke, ex-officio coroner of said county, upon the body of Fulton McCracken, lying dead, by the jurors whose names are here-unto subscribed, the said jurors upon their oath do say: That the said Fulton McCracken came to his death from injuries sustained September 2, 1917 by being struck with a Ford Automobile owned by John A. Rhoades and driven by Mrs. Rhoades.

The jury further finds that the same was purely accidental and places no blame on either John A. Rhoades or his wife for said accident.

In testimony whereof the said jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year aforesaid.

Attest: Henry Mencke, County Attorney and ex-officio coroner. E.C. Nelson, Nick Cook, R.H. Denton, John Rosenbaum, Lewis E. Ward, C.M. Ward

Witnesses: Iver Willliamsen, Edward Johnson, Leslie J. White, Mabel Pearl Hunt, Lillian Johnson, John A. Rhoades, Dervie Hall

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

Note: Fulton is buried in Blk 6 Lt 25 Sp 1 in the Kennard Cemetery. Death date is 2 Sept 1917.

Find A Grave #26420014