Clark County Clipper, July 9, 1908


 
Col. C. D. Perry Killed in an Auto Wreck.
 

The following is a letter from Hon. John A. Edwards giving the particulars of the tragic death of Col. C. D. Perry, formerly of Englewood, but recently of Riverside, California.  The letter was written by L. D. Cravens of Englewood, who kindly phoned it to this paper this morning.  The letter follows:

King City, Cal., July 4th, 1908.

"Col. Perry died to night.  He joined Helen and I off the coast from Ventura Monday.  He and Mrs. Perry were in the automobile.  We have been skirting the coast for over 800 miles, stopping at the different beaches and resorts.  It has been a delightful and a joyous trip until tonight.

I have never seen him happier.  We left El Paso Del Robles this morning.  The car was decorated with flags and bunting, enthusiasm at highest tense, tonight it is crepe.  We lunched at three o'clock near a bridge.  During the respite the steam lowered.  We started but could not make the grade across the canyon.  While waiting for the steam to rise, Helen and her mother walked ahead.  As soon as we had power I was instructed to go to the rear and push.  Col. opened the throttle and put on full steam, touched the reverse lever instead of the forward, causing the car to come back instead of forward.  It came crushing into the rail and over into the canyon below.  I rolled the car off of him and carried him to the shade.  He was apparently uninjured, only stunned.

We applied alcohol externally and internally, and applied towels until the doctor came.  A passing automobile carried us to town.  He failed to rally, so we secured another doctor and nurse.  They continued applications and restoratives of all kinds but failed to revive his pulse or stimulate his heart.  In an hour, he had expired.  It is sad tonight, L__, and it is desolate.  We are in a little Mexican town, 300 miles from home, not a casket nor an embalmer in town.  We start for Riverside tomorrow."


Contributed by ~Shirley Brier~ October 17, 2005.
 

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