THE INDIANAPOLIS NEWS PAPER
January 4, 1929
"Two Die Instantly When Car Rams Truck Load of Lumbar"
Contributed by Lowell Glen Brown, rubduk@worldnet.att.net
Two men were killed instantly and their bodies were burned and badly mangled when a roadster in which they were riding Thursday night crashed into the rear of a parked lumber truck near New Bethel. They were James W. Hodges, age thirty-six, 2365 Southeastern avenue, and Edgar Brown, age twenty-three, both natives of Tennessee, and residents of Indianapolis four and five years, respectively. The heads of the two were severed in the accident.
The force of the collision with the truck and lumber which protruded from it forced the bodies of the men through the rear of their car, which overturned and burst into flames. Identification of the bodies at the Moore & Kirk undertaking establishment was made difficult for several hours because of a clerical error in the address for the car's license number. A final identification was made at the undertaking establishment by Arthur H. Brown, 5918 Dewey avenue, a cousin of Edgar Brown. Arthur Brown said he heard a radio announcement of the accident and of the fact that the men had not been identified. Knowing James Hodges and Edgar Brown had driven in that direction to test a new car, he went at once to the undertaking establishment.
The truck was driven by William Stakley, age twenty-nine, whose address was given as 730 East Michigan street, apartment No. 1. Stakley, who formerly appeared as a pugilist under the name of Bobby Lee, was driving one of two trucks for the Glenn Trucking Company. He said both trucks loaded with lumber, were on the way to Indianapolis from Shelbyville, In. Wilson, whose address was given as 1502 Hamilton avenue, driver of the other truck, had halted at a point near New Bethel, Stakley said, to adjust lumber that was shifting on the rear of the truck. The roadster, following the trucks, crashed into the rear truck shortly after it had been brought to a halt behind Wilson's truck, deputy sheriffs said. Stakley was arrested on charges of manslaughter, failure to have a chauffeur's license and failure to have a tail light. Bond was fixed at $3,000.
Edgar Brown had been employed at the Pennsylvania railroad shop several years. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brown, living near Portland, Tenn., were notified of the accident and probably will attend funeral services in Indianapolis. Other surviving relatives are six sisters: Miss Bessie Brown, at the Southeastern avenue address; Alma Delie, Lovetta and Arline Brown and Mrs. Myrtle Sherron, all of Tennessee, and three brothers, Shirley, Fount, and Noah Brown, all of Portland.
Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rupert L. Hodges, living near Portland, Hodges leaves his wife, Mrs. Fanna Bell Hodges, three children, Cleo, age fifteen, Lucille, age seven, and Leon, age two; one brother, Frank Hodges, Portland, and four sisters, Mrs. Julia Smith, Mrs. Lizzie Lane, Mrs. Laney Petty, and Miss Rhoda Hodges, all of Tennessee.
Although definite arrangements for the funeral have not been made, short services probably will be held at the Southeastern avenue address. Both bodies will be taken to Portland, Tenn., for funeral services and burial.
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