R. J. B. GEARHART AND S. M. DIETZ KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
DEATHS CAUSED WHEN OLSEN CAR SKIDS ON SLIPPERY HIGHWAY
DEATH INSTANT FOR TWO VICTIMS; OLSEN IN GEISINGER HOSP.
Party Was on Way to Harrisburg to Attend Inaugural When Car Plunged Into Culvert Below Liverpool Yesterday Morning at 9 O'clock
Two of Danville's most prominent and leading citizens were killed and a third was seriously injured when the Buick coupe in which they were enroute to Harrisburg to attend the inaugural ceremonies skidded on the icy pavment and crashed into an abutment of a cement culvert four miles south of Liverpool on the Susquehanna Trail, yesterday morning at 9:05 oclock.
The dead: Dr. J. Beaver Gearhart, aged 62, Postmaster and Hon. Sharpless M. Dietz, aged 63, proprietor of the Riverview Hotel. Both of the men were former representatives to the Legislature from Montour County.
Victor A. Olsen, Bloom street, driver of the car, Associate Judge and Republican State Committerreman from Montour County sustained several fractured ribs and lacerations and bruises of the head and body. He is a patient at the Geisinger Memorial Hospital. His condition is not regarded as critical.
Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz both sustained fractured skulls. Judge Olsen probably owes his life to the fact that when the car collided with the abutment the door on the left side was torn loose and he was thrown into the highway.
The three men left the Riverview Hotel yesterday morning at 7:50 o'clock to attend inaugural exercises of Governor Gifford Pinchot.
The accident occurred at a slight turn in the highway between Liverpool and Girty's face, at a point known as Brauw's Run, so named because of the gasoline service station conducted by A. B. Brauw within 100 feet of where the accident happened.
Road Covered With Ice
The road at that point for a distance of several hundred feet is covered with a thin film of ice caused by the snow melting from the mountainside and draining on the highway. It is the only portion of the road between Danville and Harrisburg that is frozen with ice.
According to investigations made by a patrolman from the State Highway Patrol at Harrisburg the Buick was traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour when it approached the icy pavement.
The driver lost control of the car and it started to slide crossways in the road towards the abutment. The four passenger coupe struck the abutment in the center of the right side, demolishing every window and bending the frame into a half moon shape around the end of the abutment.
Men Heard Crash
R. D. Yurick, attendant at the gasoline station and A. B. Brauw attracted by the sound of the crash ran to the machine. The car remained in an upright position and the engine was idling until Yurick turned off the ignition.
Judge Olsen was standing in the road near the machine in a dazed condition. Mr. Dietz lay in the creek bed beneath the bridge in an unconscious condition where he had been hurled while Dr. Gearhart remained pinned in the demolished car.
A crowd soon collected and the two unconscious men were carried to the gasoline station. C. B. Hoff, Liverpool was summoned. He pronounced Mr. Dietz and Dr. Gearhart dead as the result of fractured skulls.
He examined Judge Olsen and found he was suffering from several fractured ribs. He administered first aid and the Geisinger Memorial Hospital ambulance was summoned to bring Judge Olsen to the local hospital.
Yurick and Brauw said that Dr. Gearhart muttered as he was moved from the car and made an attempt to move his arms and open his eyes while Mr. Dietz did not show any signs of life.
Ambulance in Crash
As the Geisinger Ambulance bearing Olsen was enroute to the hospital, it collided with a coal truck of George Leech, at the intersection of Mill and Northumberland streets. The ambulance was only slightly dfamaged and continued on its way to the hospital.
Geo. O. Ghee, superintendent of the local highway department, upon learning of the crash went to the scene with the ambulance and returned to Danville with Judge Olsen.
A representative of the Morning News and Edward Fisk, local photographer, motored to the scene yesterfday afternoon and pictures of the scene of the crash and the wrecked automobile were made. Pictures were on display at the Acacia Club and at Fisk's studio last evening.
The news of the tragedy reached Danville shortly after 10 o'clock and remained the chief item of discussion throughout the day.
First reports stated that all three men had been killed and that the car had collided with another car, while one report said the machine crashed head-on with a bus.
Broadcast Accident
The radio broadcast of the inaugural ceremonies was interrupted yesterday noon to broadcast a brief account of the crash. The radio report, however, was erronous, stating that all three men were dead.
Judge Olsen remained at the scene of the accident until Dr. Hoff of Liver-
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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pool arrived and removed him to his office. The shock of the accident was a great strain on the injured man and he was given restoratives before being removed in the Geisinger hospital ambulance about 10 o'clock.
Skulls Crushed
Dr. Books of Newport coroner of Juniata county arrived at 11:45 o'clock and on investigation found death had been caused by fractures of the skull. Both men had been thrown against the framework of the interior of the machine with such violence that the tops of their skulls were crushed like egg shells.
Dr. Books pronounced the deaths accidental and will not hold an inquest. The dead men were not cut by flying glass and the fracture of the skull was the full extent of their injuries. Both were instantly killed and probably never knew what their machine collided with.
Shortly after the crash the Smiths garage wrecker from New Buffalo was called and cleared the highway so that traffic could be resumed. The Buick is a complete wreck and not attempt will be made to repair it.
Road Is Dangerous
The section of the Susquehanna Trail where the fatal accident occurred yesterday morning is one of the most dangerous at this season of the year as melting snow from the top of the mountains runs down over the highway and forms a coating of thin ice at intervals of 100 yards for a distance of several miles. The sun never strikes this part of the highway and the ice forms continually.
The highway is clear of snow and ice from Danville to Liverpool and motorists found no difficulty in travelling at a lively pace in going to Harrisburg yesterday morning. At this particular spot on the highway the motorist encountered their first icy traveling, coming upon the hazard suddenly with no warning of the danger.
The car came upon the ice so suddenly that the driver had no opportunity of checking it speed and did not apply his brakes after he struck the ice. The machine swerved to the right due from momentum given by the machine approaching the curve.
This particular curve is not banked and in dry weather is quite a hazard to motorists not familiar with the Trail. The ice covered highway offered no means of keeping the machine on the curved roadbed anfd it slid to the side with bullet-like velocity accelerating its speed as it traveled sideways for a distance of ten feet.
A north-bound car was within several hundred feet of the curve when the Danville machine struck the ice and started to slide. The occupants of this machine were among the first persons on the scene and assisted in taking the dead and injured men from the car. The doors on the left side were sprung open in the crash and partly twisted from their hinges.
Traffic in both directions was blocked for nearly an hour while south bound machines halted and endeavored to learn of the extent of the accident. Danville residents and autoists from the vicinity were shocked to learn of the tragedy.
The two victims have always taken an active part in the civic affairs of Danville and the community and their absence will be keenly felt.
J. Beaver Gearhart
J. Beaver Gearhart was born in Danville, the son of Wilson W. and Jane Beaver Gearhart. He spent his entire life in Danville, graduating from the Danville High school. He later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School where he graduated.
For many years Mr. Gearhart lived in the Gearhart residence on West Market street until the death of his mother a number of years ago when he lived in an apartment in the rear of his office on Mill street.
Dr. Gearhart was 29 years of age when the Spanish-American war occurred and enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, April 27, 1898. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant and was mustered out of service at Williamsport, October 29, 1898, after six months of service.
World War Record
With America's entry into the World War, Dr. Gearhart again enlisted and became Major of the Dental Corps. He served overseas and saw action in the Linney Sector and St. Mihiel from October 4, 1918, to October 16, 1918 and took part in the Meuse Argonne offensive, from October 16 to 28th, 1918. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., August 2, 1918 and returned to Danville to make his home.
In the fall of 1920 he was elected Representative to the General Assembly as a Republican candidate and served one two-year term. He sought re-election in 1922 but was defeated by Mr. Dietz, Democrat, who was with him yesterday.
Dr. Gearhart was regarded as a political power in Montour County and was a staunch supporter of the party. In 1928 Dr. Gearhart was appointed postmaster, succeeding W. L. Gouger. During his supervision an addition was built to the local office. During the past year the Post Office showed a large increase in business, the only office in this section to have an increase.
National Guard Officer
Dr. Gearhart always had the interests of Danville at heart and took an active part in all Community Chest drives and welfare organizations. He was a member of the executive committee of the Danville Community Chest and only a few days ago agreed to serve as a member of the Danville Armory Board.
It was during Dr. Gearhart's term in the Legislature that the First Battalion Headquarters Battery and Combat Train of the 107th Field Artillery was obtained for Danville and it was largely through his efforts that the present armory, which was opened Monday, was secured for Danville. He was interested in the affairs of the National Guardf and served as Captain of Company F, which was disorganized in 1916.
Dr. Gearhart was a charter member of the Danville Rotary Club and was song leader of the club. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and the B. P. O. Elks, Frank W. Sifdler Post, No. 40, American Legion, serving as a member of the executive of the latter. He was also a member of the St. Paul's M. E. church.
He was never married and is survived by one sister, Mrs. John Sharpless, Hazleton, who with her husband was in Harrisburtg for the inaugural and was informed of her brother's death, at the Penn-Harris hotel. Mrs. Horace C. Blue, Mill street and Miss Bertha M. Gaskins, Pine stree, are cousins.
S. M. Dietz
Born and raised in Danville, Mr. Dietz was also one of the most prominent and best loved citizens of the community.
Like Dr. Gearhart he took a leading part in all community affairs including the Community Chest and other
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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welfare organizations. He also was a member of the executive committee of the Community Chest. He will especially be remembered for the acitve part he took in making the I. O. O. Moose lodge one of the leading fraternal organizations of Danville.
He spent his entire life in Danville with the exception of seven years when he lived in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was employed as a fireman and engineer on the T. and P. railroad.
For 32 years he was engaged in the hotel business in Danville. For the past 23 years he had operated the Riverview Hotel. Nine years prior to purchasing the Riverview he owned and operated the Glendower House on East Market street.
Had Political Career
He served two consecutive terms in the Legislature as a Democrat, serving from 1922 to 1924 and from 1924 to 1926. He was a member of the Democratic executive committee at the time of his death.
Mr. Dietz was Past Dictator of the local Order of Moose and last July had a Fellowship Degree of the Moose Lodge conferred upon him at Mooseheart, Ill.
The Fellowship degree is the second highest degree in the Moose Order and is only conferred upon Past Dictators who have performed some outstanding service. He also was a member of Central Pennsylvania Legion No. 66, Harrisburg, of the L. O. O. M.
He was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias and was affiliated with the F. O. Eagles, Elks and the Friendship Fire Company and for the past 30 years was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotives Engineers and Firemen.
Mr. Dietz's wife preceded him in death 20 years ago. Surviving to mourn his loss in one son, Oscar Dietz Church street, one daughter, Mrs. Ralph Jenkins, Northumberland; three brothers, Charles E. Dietz, East Market street, George W. Dietz, Fort Worth, Tex., William Dietz, Plymouth, two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Fort Worth, Tex., and Mrs. John Chery, Los Angeles.
The bodies of Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz were brought to Danville yesterday afternoon by Warren Yeager, employe of John Doster, Jr., and Frank Roat, local mortician.
The body of Dr. Gearhart was taken to Doster's Funeral Home on Church street, and the body of Mr. Dietz to Roat's Funeral Home on East Market street.
Details of the funerals have not been announced although it is expected they will be held Friday. It is probable that a military funeral will be held for Dr. Gearhart.
Danville Morning News - 21 Jan 1931
DEATHS CAUSED WHEN OLSEN CAR SKIDS ON SLIPPERY HIGHWAY
DEATH INSTANT FOR TWO VICTIMS; OLSEN IN GEISINGER HOSP.
Party Was on Way to Harrisburg to Attend Inaugural When Car Plunged Into Culvert Below Liverpool Yesterday Morning at 9 O'clock
Two of Danville's most prominent and leading citizens were killed and a third was seriously injured when the Buick coupe in which they were enroute to Harrisburg to attend the inaugural ceremonies skidded on the icy pavment and crashed into an abutment of a cement culvert four miles south of Liverpool on the Susquehanna Trail, yesterday morning at 9:05 oclock.
The dead: Dr. J. Beaver Gearhart, aged 62, Postmaster and Hon. Sharpless M. Dietz, aged 63, proprietor of the Riverview Hotel. Both of the men were former representatives to the Legislature from Montour County.
Victor A. Olsen, Bloom street, driver of the car, Associate Judge and Republican State Committerreman from Montour County sustained several fractured ribs and lacerations and bruises of the head and body. He is a patient at the Geisinger Memorial Hospital. His condition is not regarded as critical.
Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz both sustained fractured skulls. Judge Olsen probably owes his life to the fact that when the car collided with the abutment the door on the left side was torn loose and he was thrown into the highway.
The three men left the Riverview Hotel yesterday morning at 7:50 o'clock to attend inaugural exercises of Governor Gifford Pinchot.
The accident occurred at a slight turn in the highway between Liverpool and Girty's face, at a point known as Brauw's Run, so named because of the gasoline service station conducted by A. B. Brauw within 100 feet of where the accident happened.
Road Covered With Ice
The road at that point for a distance of several hundred feet is covered with a thin film of ice caused by the snow melting from the mountainside and draining on the highway. It is the only portion of the road between Danville and Harrisburg that is frozen with ice.
According to investigations made by a patrolman from the State Highway Patrol at Harrisburg the Buick was traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour when it approached the icy pavement.
The driver lost control of the car and it started to slide crossways in the road towards the abutment. The four passenger coupe struck the abutment in the center of the right side, demolishing every window and bending the frame into a half moon shape around the end of the abutment.
Men Heard Crash
R. D. Yurick, attendant at the gasoline station and A. B. Brauw attracted by the sound of the crash ran to the machine. The car remained in an upright position and the engine was idling until Yurick turned off the ignition.
Judge Olsen was standing in the road near the machine in a dazed condition. Mr. Dietz lay in the creek bed beneath the bridge in an unconscious condition where he had been hurled while Dr. Gearhart remained pinned in the demolished car.
A crowd soon collected and the two unconscious men were carried to the gasoline station. C. B. Hoff, Liverpool was summoned. He pronounced Mr. Dietz and Dr. Gearhart dead as the result of fractured skulls.
He examined Judge Olsen and found he was suffering from several fractured ribs. He administered first aid and the Geisinger Memorial Hospital ambulance was summoned to bring Judge Olsen to the local hospital.
Yurick and Brauw said that Dr. Gearhart muttered as he was moved from the car and made an attempt to move his arms and open his eyes while Mr. Dietz did not show any signs of life.
Ambulance in Crash
As the Geisinger Ambulance bearing Olsen was enroute to the hospital, it collided with a coal truck of George Leech, at the intersection of Mill and Northumberland streets. The ambulance was only slightly dfamaged and continued on its way to the hospital.
Geo. O. Ghee, superintendent of the local highway department, upon learning of the crash went to the scene with the ambulance and returned to Danville with Judge Olsen.
A representative of the Morning News and Edward Fisk, local photographer, motored to the scene yesterfday afternoon and pictures of the scene of the crash and the wrecked automobile were made. Pictures were on display at the Acacia Club and at Fisk's studio last evening.
The news of the tragedy reached Danville shortly after 10 o'clock and remained the chief item of discussion throughout the day.
First reports stated that all three men had been killed and that the car had collided with another car, while one report said the machine crashed head-on with a bus.
Broadcast Accident
The radio broadcast of the inaugural ceremonies was interrupted yesterday noon to broadcast a brief account of the crash. The radio report, however, was erronous, stating that all three men were dead.
Judge Olsen remained at the scene of the accident until Dr. Hoff of Liver-
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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pool arrived and removed him to his office. The shock of the accident was a great strain on the injured man and he was given restoratives before being removed in the Geisinger hospital ambulance about 10 o'clock.
Skulls Crushed
Dr. Books of Newport coroner of Juniata county arrived at 11:45 o'clock and on investigation found death had been caused by fractures of the skull. Both men had been thrown against the framework of the interior of the machine with such violence that the tops of their skulls were crushed like egg shells.
Dr. Books pronounced the deaths accidental and will not hold an inquest. The dead men were not cut by flying glass and the fracture of the skull was the full extent of their injuries. Both were instantly killed and probably never knew what their machine collided with.
Shortly after the crash the Smiths garage wrecker from New Buffalo was called and cleared the highway so that traffic could be resumed. The Buick is a complete wreck and not attempt will be made to repair it.
Road Is Dangerous
The section of the Susquehanna Trail where the fatal accident occurred yesterday morning is one of the most dangerous at this season of the year as melting snow from the top of the mountains runs down over the highway and forms a coating of thin ice at intervals of 100 yards for a distance of several miles. The sun never strikes this part of the highway and the ice forms continually.
The highway is clear of snow and ice from Danville to Liverpool and motorists found no difficulty in travelling at a lively pace in going to Harrisburg yesterday morning. At this particular spot on the highway the motorist encountered their first icy traveling, coming upon the hazard suddenly with no warning of the danger.
The car came upon the ice so suddenly that the driver had no opportunity of checking it speed and did not apply his brakes after he struck the ice. The machine swerved to the right due from momentum given by the machine approaching the curve.
This particular curve is not banked and in dry weather is quite a hazard to motorists not familiar with the Trail. The ice covered highway offered no means of keeping the machine on the curved roadbed anfd it slid to the side with bullet-like velocity accelerating its speed as it traveled sideways for a distance of ten feet.
A north-bound car was within several hundred feet of the curve when the Danville machine struck the ice and started to slide. The occupants of this machine were among the first persons on the scene and assisted in taking the dead and injured men from the car. The doors on the left side were sprung open in the crash and partly twisted from their hinges.
Traffic in both directions was blocked for nearly an hour while south bound machines halted and endeavored to learn of the extent of the accident. Danville residents and autoists from the vicinity were shocked to learn of the tragedy.
The two victims have always taken an active part in the civic affairs of Danville and the community and their absence will be keenly felt.
J. Beaver Gearhart
J. Beaver Gearhart was born in Danville, the son of Wilson W. and Jane Beaver Gearhart. He spent his entire life in Danville, graduating from the Danville High school. He later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School where he graduated.
For many years Mr. Gearhart lived in the Gearhart residence on West Market street until the death of his mother a number of years ago when he lived in an apartment in the rear of his office on Mill street.
Dr. Gearhart was 29 years of age when the Spanish-American war occurred and enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, April 27, 1898. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant and was mustered out of service at Williamsport, October 29, 1898, after six months of service.
World War Record
With America's entry into the World War, Dr. Gearhart again enlisted and became Major of the Dental Corps. He served overseas and saw action in the Linney Sector and St. Mihiel from October 4, 1918, to October 16, 1918 and took part in the Meuse Argonne offensive, from October 16 to 28th, 1918. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., August 2, 1918 and returned to Danville to make his home.
In the fall of 1920 he was elected Representative to the General Assembly as a Republican candidate and served one two-year term. He sought re-election in 1922 but was defeated by Mr. Dietz, Democrat, who was with him yesterday.
Dr. Gearhart was regarded as a political power in Montour County and was a staunch supporter of the party. In 1928 Dr. Gearhart was appointed postmaster, succeeding W. L. Gouger. During his supervision an addition was built to the local office. During the past year the Post Office showed a large increase in business, the only office in this section to have an increase.
National Guard Officer
Dr. Gearhart always had the interests of Danville at heart and took an active part in all Community Chest drives and welfare organizations. He was a member of the executive committee of the Danville Community Chest and only a few days ago agreed to serve as a member of the Danville Armory Board.
It was during Dr. Gearhart's term in the Legislature that the First Battalion Headquarters Battery and Combat Train of the 107th Field Artillery was obtained for Danville and it was largely through his efforts that the present armory, which was opened Monday, was secured for Danville. He was interested in the affairs of the National Guardf and served as Captain of Company F, which was disorganized in 1916.
Dr. Gearhart was a charter member of the Danville Rotary Club and was song leader of the club. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and the B. P. O. Elks, Frank W. Sifdler Post, No. 40, American Legion, serving as a member of the executive of the latter. He was also a member of the St. Paul's M. E. church.
He was never married and is survived by one sister, Mrs. John Sharpless, Hazleton, who with her husband was in Harrisburtg for the inaugural and was informed of her brother's death, at the Penn-Harris hotel. Mrs. Horace C. Blue, Mill street and Miss Bertha M. Gaskins, Pine stree, are cousins.
S. M. Dietz
Born and raised in Danville, Mr. Dietz was also one of the most prominent and best loved citizens of the community.
Like Dr. Gearhart he took a leading part in all community affairs including the Community Chest and other
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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welfare organizations. He also was a member of the executive committee of the Community Chest. He will especially be remembered for the acitve part he took in making the I. O. O. Moose lodge one of the leading fraternal organizations of Danville.
He spent his entire life in Danville with the exception of seven years when he lived in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was employed as a fireman and engineer on the T. and P. railroad.
For 32 years he was engaged in the hotel business in Danville. For the past 23 years he had operated the Riverview Hotel. Nine years prior to purchasing the Riverview he owned and operated the Glendower House on East Market street.
Had Political Career
He served two consecutive terms in the Legislature as a Democrat, serving from 1922 to 1924 and from 1924 to 1926. He was a member of the Democratic executive committee at the time of his death.
Mr. Dietz was Past Dictator of the local Order of Moose and last July had a Fellowship Degree of the Moose Lodge conferred upon him at Mooseheart, Ill.
The Fellowship degree is the second highest degree in the Moose Order and is only conferred upon Past Dictators who have performed some outstanding service. He also was a member of Central Pennsylvania Legion No. 66, Harrisburg, of the L. O. O. M.
He was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias and was affiliated with the F. O. Eagles, Elks and the Friendship Fire Company and for the past 30 years was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotives Engineers and Firemen.
Mr. Dietz's wife preceded him in death 20 years ago. Surviving to mourn his loss in one son, Oscar Dietz Church street, one daughter, Mrs. Ralph Jenkins, Northumberland; three brothers, Charles E. Dietz, East Market street, George W. Dietz, Fort Worth, Tex., William Dietz, Plymouth, two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Fort Worth, Tex., and Mrs. John Chery, Los Angeles.
The bodies of Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz were brought to Danville yesterday afternoon by Warren Yeager, employe of John Doster, Jr., and Frank Roat, local mortician.
The body of Dr. Gearhart was taken to Doster's Funeral Home on Church street, and the body of Mr. Dietz to Roat's Funeral Home on East Market street.
Details of the funerals have not been announced although it is expected they will be held Friday. It is probable that a military funeral will be held for Dr. Gearhart.
Danville Morning News - 21 Jan 1931
R. J. B. GEARHART AND S. M. DIETZ KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
DEATHS CAUSED WHEN OLSEN CAR SKIDS ON SLIPPERY HIGHWAY
DEATH INSTANT FOR TWO VICTIMS; OLSEN IN GEISINGER HOSP.
Party Was on Way to Harrisburg to Attend Inaugural When Car Plunged Into Culvert Below Liverpool Yesterday Morning at 9 O'clock
Two of Danville's most prominent and leading citizens were killed and a third was seriously injured when the Buick coupe in which they were enroute to Harrisburg to attend the inaugural ceremonies skidded on the icy pavment and crashed into an abutment of a cement culvert four miles south of Liverpool on the Susquehanna Trail, yesterday morning at 9:05 oclock.
The dead: Dr. J. Beaver Gearhart, aged 62, Postmaster and Hon. Sharpless M. Dietz, aged 63, proprietor of the Riverview Hotel. Both of the men were former representatives to the Legislature from Montour County.
Victor A. Olsen, Bloom street, driver of the car, Associate Judge and Republican State Committerreman from Montour County sustained several fractured ribs and lacerations and bruises of the head and body. He is a patient at the Geisinger Memorial Hospital. His condition is not regarded as critical.
Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz both sustained fractured skulls. Judge Olsen probably owes his life to the fact that when the car collided with the abutment the door on the left side was torn loose and he was thrown into the highway.
The three men left the Riverview Hotel yesterday morning at 7:50 o'clock to attend inaugural exercises of Governor Gifford Pinchot.
The accident occurred at a slight turn in the highway between Liverpool and Girty's face, at a point known as Brauw's Run, so named because of the gasoline service station conducted by A. B. Brauw within 100 feet of where the accident happened.
Road Covered With Ice
The road at that point for a distance of several hundred feet is covered with a thin film of ice caused by the snow melting from the mountainside and draining on the highway. It is the only portion of the road between Danville and Harrisburg that is frozen with ice.
According to investigations made by a patrolman from the State Highway Patrol at Harrisburg the Buick was traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour when it approached the icy pavement.
The driver lost control of the car and it started to slide crossways in the road towards the abutment. The four passenger coupe struck the abutment in the center of the right side, demolishing every window and bending the frame into a half moon shape around the end of the abutment.
Men Heard Crash
R. D. Yurick, attendant at the gasoline station and A. B. Brauw attracted by the sound of the crash ran to the machine. The car remained in an upright position and the engine was idling until Yurick turned off the ignition.
Judge Olsen was standing in the road near the machine in a dazed condition. Mr. Dietz lay in the creek bed beneath the bridge in an unconscious condition where he had been hurled while Dr. Gearhart remained pinned in the demolished car.
A crowd soon collected and the two unconscious men were carried to the gasoline station. C. B. Hoff, Liverpool was summoned. He pronounced Mr. Dietz and Dr. Gearhart dead as the result of fractured skulls.
He examined Judge Olsen and found he was suffering from several fractured ribs. He administered first aid and the Geisinger Memorial Hospital ambulance was summoned to bring Judge Olsen to the local hospital.
Yurick and Brauw said that Dr. Gearhart muttered as he was moved from the car and made an attempt to move his arms and open his eyes while Mr. Dietz did not show any signs of life.
Ambulance in Crash
As the Geisinger Ambulance bearing Olsen was enroute to the hospital, it collided with a coal truck of George Leech, at the intersection of Mill and Northumberland streets. The ambulance was only slightly dfamaged and continued on its way to the hospital.
Geo. O. Ghee, superintendent of the local highway department, upon learning of the crash went to the scene with the ambulance and returned to Danville with Judge Olsen.
A representative of the Morning News and Edward Fisk, local photographer, motored to the scene yesterfday afternoon and pictures of the scene of the crash and the wrecked automobile were made. Pictures were on display at the Acacia Club and at Fisk's studio last evening.
The news of the tragedy reached Danville shortly after 10 o'clock and remained the chief item of discussion throughout the day.
First reports stated that all three men had been killed and that the car had collided with another car, while one report said the machine crashed head-on with a bus.
Broadcast Accident
The radio broadcast of the inaugural ceremonies was interrupted yesterday noon to broadcast a brief account of the crash. The radio report, however, was erronous, stating that all three men were dead.
Judge Olsen remained at the scene of the accident until Dr. Hoff of Liver-
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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pool arrived and removed him to his office. The shock of the accident was a great strain on the injured man and he was given restoratives before being removed in the Geisinger hospital ambulance about 10 o'clock.
Skulls Crushed
Dr. Books of Newport coroner of Juniata county arrived at 11:45 o'clock and on investigation found death had been caused by fractures of the skull. Both men had been thrown against the framework of the interior of the machine with such violence that the tops of their skulls were crushed like egg shells.
Dr. Books pronounced the deaths accidental and will not hold an inquest. The dead men were not cut by flying glass and the fracture of the skull was the full extent of their injuries. Both were instantly killed and probably never knew what their machine collided with.
Shortly after the crash the Smiths garage wrecker from New Buffalo was called and cleared the highway so that traffic could be resumed. The Buick is a complete wreck and not attempt will be made to repair it.
Road Is Dangerous
The section of the Susquehanna Trail where the fatal accident occurred yesterday morning is one of the most dangerous at this season of the year as melting snow from the top of the mountains runs down over the highway and forms a coating of thin ice at intervals of 100 yards for a distance of several miles. The sun never strikes this part of the highway and the ice forms continually.
The highway is clear of snow and ice from Danville to Liverpool and motorists found no difficulty in travelling at a lively pace in going to Harrisburg yesterday morning. At this particular spot on the highway the motorist encountered their first icy traveling, coming upon the hazard suddenly with no warning of the danger.
The car came upon the ice so suddenly that the driver had no opportunity of checking it speed and did not apply his brakes after he struck the ice. The machine swerved to the right due from momentum given by the machine approaching the curve.
This particular curve is not banked and in dry weather is quite a hazard to motorists not familiar with the Trail. The ice covered highway offered no means of keeping the machine on the curved roadbed anfd it slid to the side with bullet-like velocity accelerating its speed as it traveled sideways for a distance of ten feet.
A north-bound car was within several hundred feet of the curve when the Danville machine struck the ice and started to slide. The occupants of this machine were among the first persons on the scene and assisted in taking the dead and injured men from the car. The doors on the left side were sprung open in the crash and partly twisted from their hinges.
Traffic in both directions was blocked for nearly an hour while south bound machines halted and endeavored to learn of the extent of the accident. Danville residents and autoists from the vicinity were shocked to learn of the tragedy.
The two victims have always taken an active part in the civic affairs of Danville and the community and their absence will be keenly felt.
J. Beaver Gearhart
J. Beaver Gearhart was born in Danville, the son of Wilson W. and Jane Beaver Gearhart. He spent his entire life in Danville, graduating from the Danville High school. He later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School where he graduated.
For many years Mr. Gearhart lived in the Gearhart residence on West Market street until the death of his mother a number of years ago when he lived in an apartment in the rear of his office on Mill street.
Dr. Gearhart was 29 years of age when the Spanish-American war occurred and enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, April 27, 1898. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant and was mustered out of service at Williamsport, October 29, 1898, after six months of service.
World War Record
With America's entry into the World War, Dr. Gearhart again enlisted and became Major of the Dental Corps. He served overseas and saw action in the Linney Sector and St. Mihiel from October 4, 1918, to October 16, 1918 and took part in the Meuse Argonne offensive, from October 16 to 28th, 1918. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., August 2, 1918 and returned to Danville to make his home.
In the fall of 1920 he was elected Representative to the General Assembly as a Republican candidate and served one two-year term. He sought re-election in 1922 but was defeated by Mr. Dietz, Democrat, who was with him yesterday.
Dr. Gearhart was regarded as a political power in Montour County and was a staunch supporter of the party. In 1928 Dr. Gearhart was appointed postmaster, succeeding W. L. Gouger. During his supervision an addition was built to the local office. During the past year the Post Office showed a large increase in business, the only office in this section to have an increase.
National Guard Officer
Dr. Gearhart always had the interests of Danville at heart and took an active part in all Community Chest drives and welfare organizations. He was a member of the executive committee of the Danville Community Chest and only a few days ago agreed to serve as a member of the Danville Armory Board.
It was during Dr. Gearhart's term in the Legislature that the First Battalion Headquarters Battery and Combat Train of the 107th Field Artillery was obtained for Danville and it was largely through his efforts that the present armory, which was opened Monday, was secured for Danville. He was interested in the affairs of the National Guardf and served as Captain of Company F, which was disorganized in 1916.
Dr. Gearhart was a charter member of the Danville Rotary Club and was song leader of the club. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and the B. P. O. Elks, Frank W. Sifdler Post, No. 40, American Legion, serving as a member of the executive of the latter. He was also a member of the St. Paul's M. E. church.
He was never married and is survived by one sister, Mrs. John Sharpless, Hazleton, who with her husband was in Harrisburtg for the inaugural and was informed of her brother's death, at the Penn-Harris hotel. Mrs. Horace C. Blue, Mill street and Miss Bertha M. Gaskins, Pine stree, are cousins.
S. M. Dietz
Born and raised in Danville, Mr. Dietz was also one of the most prominent and best loved citizens of the community.
Like Dr. Gearhart he took a leading part in all community affairs including the Community Chest and other
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
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welfare organizations. He also was a member of the executive committee of the Community Chest. He will especially be remembered for the acitve part he took in making the I. O. O. Moose lodge one of the leading fraternal organizations of Danville.
He spent his entire life in Danville with the exception of seven years when he lived in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was employed as a fireman and engineer on the T. and P. railroad.
For 32 years he was engaged in the hotel business in Danville. For the past 23 years he had operated the Riverview Hotel. Nine years prior to purchasing the Riverview he owned and operated the Glendower House on East Market street.
Had Political Career
He served two consecutive terms in the Legislature as a Democrat, serving from 1922 to 1924 and from 1924 to 1926. He was a member of the Democratic executive committee at the time of his death.
Mr. Dietz was Past Dictator of the local Order of Moose and last July had a Fellowship Degree of the Moose Lodge conferred upon him at Mooseheart, Ill.
The Fellowship degree is the second highest degree in the Moose Order and is only conferred upon Past Dictators who have performed some outstanding service. He also was a member of Central Pennsylvania Legion No. 66, Harrisburg, of the L. O. O. M.
He was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias and was affiliated with the F. O. Eagles, Elks and the Friendship Fire Company and for the past 30 years was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotives Engineers and Firemen.
Mr. Dietz's wife preceded him in death 20 years ago. Surviving to mourn his loss in one son, Oscar Dietz Church street, one daughter, Mrs. Ralph Jenkins, Northumberland; three brothers, Charles E. Dietz, East Market street, George W. Dietz, Fort Worth, Tex., William Dietz, Plymouth, two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Fort Worth, Tex., and Mrs. John Chery, Los Angeles.
The bodies of Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz were brought to Danville yesterday afternoon by Warren Yeager, employe of John Doster, Jr., and Frank Roat, local mortician.
The body of Dr. Gearhart was taken to Doster's Funeral Home on Church street, and the body of Mr. Dietz to Roat's Funeral Home on East Market street.
Details of the funerals have not been announced although it is expected they will be held Friday. It is probable that a military funeral will be held for Dr. Gearhart.
Danville Morning News - 21 Jan 1931
DEATHS CAUSED WHEN OLSEN CAR SKIDS ON SLIPPERY HIGHWAY
DEATH INSTANT FOR TWO VICTIMS; OLSEN IN GEISINGER HOSP.
Party Was on Way to Harrisburg to Attend Inaugural When Car Plunged Into Culvert Below Liverpool Yesterday Morning at 9 O'clock
Two of Danville's most prominent and leading citizens were killed and a third was seriously injured when the Buick coupe in which they were enroute to Harrisburg to attend the inaugural ceremonies skidded on the icy pavment and crashed into an abutment of a cement culvert four miles south of Liverpool on the Susquehanna Trail, yesterday morning at 9:05 oclock.
The dead: Dr. J. Beaver Gearhart, aged 62, Postmaster and Hon. Sharpless M. Dietz, aged 63, proprietor of the Riverview Hotel. Both of the men were former representatives to the Legislature from Montour County.
Victor A. Olsen, Bloom street, driver of the car, Associate Judge and Republican State Committerreman from Montour County sustained several fractured ribs and lacerations and bruises of the head and body. He is a patient at the Geisinger Memorial Hospital. His condition is not regarded as critical.
Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz both sustained fractured skulls. Judge Olsen probably owes his life to the fact that when the car collided with the abutment the door on the left side was torn loose and he was thrown into the highway.
The three men left the Riverview Hotel yesterday morning at 7:50 o'clock to attend inaugural exercises of Governor Gifford Pinchot.
The accident occurred at a slight turn in the highway between Liverpool and Girty's face, at a point known as Brauw's Run, so named because of the gasoline service station conducted by A. B. Brauw within 100 feet of where the accident happened.
Road Covered With Ice
The road at that point for a distance of several hundred feet is covered with a thin film of ice caused by the snow melting from the mountainside and draining on the highway. It is the only portion of the road between Danville and Harrisburg that is frozen with ice.
According to investigations made by a patrolman from the State Highway Patrol at Harrisburg the Buick was traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour when it approached the icy pavement.
The driver lost control of the car and it started to slide crossways in the road towards the abutment. The four passenger coupe struck the abutment in the center of the right side, demolishing every window and bending the frame into a half moon shape around the end of the abutment.
Men Heard Crash
R. D. Yurick, attendant at the gasoline station and A. B. Brauw attracted by the sound of the crash ran to the machine. The car remained in an upright position and the engine was idling until Yurick turned off the ignition.
Judge Olsen was standing in the road near the machine in a dazed condition. Mr. Dietz lay in the creek bed beneath the bridge in an unconscious condition where he had been hurled while Dr. Gearhart remained pinned in the demolished car.
A crowd soon collected and the two unconscious men were carried to the gasoline station. C. B. Hoff, Liverpool was summoned. He pronounced Mr. Dietz and Dr. Gearhart dead as the result of fractured skulls.
He examined Judge Olsen and found he was suffering from several fractured ribs. He administered first aid and the Geisinger Memorial Hospital ambulance was summoned to bring Judge Olsen to the local hospital.
Yurick and Brauw said that Dr. Gearhart muttered as he was moved from the car and made an attempt to move his arms and open his eyes while Mr. Dietz did not show any signs of life.
Ambulance in Crash
As the Geisinger Ambulance bearing Olsen was enroute to the hospital, it collided with a coal truck of George Leech, at the intersection of Mill and Northumberland streets. The ambulance was only slightly dfamaged and continued on its way to the hospital.
Geo. O. Ghee, superintendent of the local highway department, upon learning of the crash went to the scene with the ambulance and returned to Danville with Judge Olsen.
A representative of the Morning News and Edward Fisk, local photographer, motored to the scene yesterfday afternoon and pictures of the scene of the crash and the wrecked automobile were made. Pictures were on display at the Acacia Club and at Fisk's studio last evening.
The news of the tragedy reached Danville shortly after 10 o'clock and remained the chief item of discussion throughout the day.
First reports stated that all three men had been killed and that the car had collided with another car, while one report said the machine crashed head-on with a bus.
Broadcast Accident
The radio broadcast of the inaugural ceremonies was interrupted yesterday noon to broadcast a brief account of the crash. The radio report, however, was erronous, stating that all three men were dead.
Judge Olsen remained at the scene of the accident until Dr. Hoff of Liver-
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
(Continued from Page One)
pool arrived and removed him to his office. The shock of the accident was a great strain on the injured man and he was given restoratives before being removed in the Geisinger hospital ambulance about 10 o'clock.
Skulls Crushed
Dr. Books of Newport coroner of Juniata county arrived at 11:45 o'clock and on investigation found death had been caused by fractures of the skull. Both men had been thrown against the framework of the interior of the machine with such violence that the tops of their skulls were crushed like egg shells.
Dr. Books pronounced the deaths accidental and will not hold an inquest. The dead men were not cut by flying glass and the fracture of the skull was the full extent of their injuries. Both were instantly killed and probably never knew what their machine collided with.
Shortly after the crash the Smiths garage wrecker from New Buffalo was called and cleared the highway so that traffic could be resumed. The Buick is a complete wreck and not attempt will be made to repair it.
Road Is Dangerous
The section of the Susquehanna Trail where the fatal accident occurred yesterday morning is one of the most dangerous at this season of the year as melting snow from the top of the mountains runs down over the highway and forms a coating of thin ice at intervals of 100 yards for a distance of several miles. The sun never strikes this part of the highway and the ice forms continually.
The highway is clear of snow and ice from Danville to Liverpool and motorists found no difficulty in travelling at a lively pace in going to Harrisburg yesterday morning. At this particular spot on the highway the motorist encountered their first icy traveling, coming upon the hazard suddenly with no warning of the danger.
The car came upon the ice so suddenly that the driver had no opportunity of checking it speed and did not apply his brakes after he struck the ice. The machine swerved to the right due from momentum given by the machine approaching the curve.
This particular curve is not banked and in dry weather is quite a hazard to motorists not familiar with the Trail. The ice covered highway offered no means of keeping the machine on the curved roadbed anfd it slid to the side with bullet-like velocity accelerating its speed as it traveled sideways for a distance of ten feet.
A north-bound car was within several hundred feet of the curve when the Danville machine struck the ice and started to slide. The occupants of this machine were among the first persons on the scene and assisted in taking the dead and injured men from the car. The doors on the left side were sprung open in the crash and partly twisted from their hinges.
Traffic in both directions was blocked for nearly an hour while south bound machines halted and endeavored to learn of the extent of the accident. Danville residents and autoists from the vicinity were shocked to learn of the tragedy.
The two victims have always taken an active part in the civic affairs of Danville and the community and their absence will be keenly felt.
J. Beaver Gearhart
J. Beaver Gearhart was born in Danville, the son of Wilson W. and Jane Beaver Gearhart. He spent his entire life in Danville, graduating from the Danville High school. He later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School where he graduated.
For many years Mr. Gearhart lived in the Gearhart residence on West Market street until the death of his mother a number of years ago when he lived in an apartment in the rear of his office on Mill street.
Dr. Gearhart was 29 years of age when the Spanish-American war occurred and enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, April 27, 1898. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant and was mustered out of service at Williamsport, October 29, 1898, after six months of service.
World War Record
With America's entry into the World War, Dr. Gearhart again enlisted and became Major of the Dental Corps. He served overseas and saw action in the Linney Sector and St. Mihiel from October 4, 1918, to October 16, 1918 and took part in the Meuse Argonne offensive, from October 16 to 28th, 1918. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., August 2, 1918 and returned to Danville to make his home.
In the fall of 1920 he was elected Representative to the General Assembly as a Republican candidate and served one two-year term. He sought re-election in 1922 but was defeated by Mr. Dietz, Democrat, who was with him yesterday.
Dr. Gearhart was regarded as a political power in Montour County and was a staunch supporter of the party. In 1928 Dr. Gearhart was appointed postmaster, succeeding W. L. Gouger. During his supervision an addition was built to the local office. During the past year the Post Office showed a large increase in business, the only office in this section to have an increase.
National Guard Officer
Dr. Gearhart always had the interests of Danville at heart and took an active part in all Community Chest drives and welfare organizations. He was a member of the executive committee of the Danville Community Chest and only a few days ago agreed to serve as a member of the Danville Armory Board.
It was during Dr. Gearhart's term in the Legislature that the First Battalion Headquarters Battery and Combat Train of the 107th Field Artillery was obtained for Danville and it was largely through his efforts that the present armory, which was opened Monday, was secured for Danville. He was interested in the affairs of the National Guardf and served as Captain of Company F, which was disorganized in 1916.
Dr. Gearhart was a charter member of the Danville Rotary Club and was song leader of the club. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and the B. P. O. Elks, Frank W. Sifdler Post, No. 40, American Legion, serving as a member of the executive of the latter. He was also a member of the St. Paul's M. E. church.
He was never married and is survived by one sister, Mrs. John Sharpless, Hazleton, who with her husband was in Harrisburtg for the inaugural and was informed of her brother's death, at the Penn-Harris hotel. Mrs. Horace C. Blue, Mill street and Miss Bertha M. Gaskins, Pine stree, are cousins.
S. M. Dietz
Born and raised in Danville, Mr. Dietz was also one of the most prominent and best loved citizens of the community.
Like Dr. Gearhart he took a leading part in all community affairs including the Community Chest and other
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TWO KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
(continued from Page Two)
welfare organizations. He also was a member of the executive committee of the Community Chest. He will especially be remembered for the acitve part he took in making the I. O. O. Moose lodge one of the leading fraternal organizations of Danville.
He spent his entire life in Danville with the exception of seven years when he lived in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was employed as a fireman and engineer on the T. and P. railroad.
For 32 years he was engaged in the hotel business in Danville. For the past 23 years he had operated the Riverview Hotel. Nine years prior to purchasing the Riverview he owned and operated the Glendower House on East Market street.
Had Political Career
He served two consecutive terms in the Legislature as a Democrat, serving from 1922 to 1924 and from 1924 to 1926. He was a member of the Democratic executive committee at the time of his death.
Mr. Dietz was Past Dictator of the local Order of Moose and last July had a Fellowship Degree of the Moose Lodge conferred upon him at Mooseheart, Ill.
The Fellowship degree is the second highest degree in the Moose Order and is only conferred upon Past Dictators who have performed some outstanding service. He also was a member of Central Pennsylvania Legion No. 66, Harrisburg, of the L. O. O. M.
He was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias and was affiliated with the F. O. Eagles, Elks and the Friendship Fire Company and for the past 30 years was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotives Engineers and Firemen.
Mr. Dietz's wife preceded him in death 20 years ago. Surviving to mourn his loss in one son, Oscar Dietz Church street, one daughter, Mrs. Ralph Jenkins, Northumberland; three brothers, Charles E. Dietz, East Market street, George W. Dietz, Fort Worth, Tex., William Dietz, Plymouth, two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, Fort Worth, Tex., and Mrs. John Chery, Los Angeles.
The bodies of Dr. Gearhart and Mr. Dietz were brought to Danville yesterday afternoon by Warren Yeager, employe of John Doster, Jr., and Frank Roat, local mortician.
The body of Dr. Gearhart was taken to Doster's Funeral Home on Church street, and the body of Mr. Dietz to Roat's Funeral Home on East Market street.
Details of the funerals have not been announced although it is expected they will be held Friday. It is probable that a military funeral will be held for Dr. Gearhart.
Danville Morning News - 21 Jan 1931
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