A Plymouth Boy Killed Instantly

The people of Plymouth and vicinity were horrified Tuesday evening to learn that Roy Norman Huff, the 11 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Huff had been instantly killed in the St. Marys neighborhood while on his way home from school. Mr. and Mrs. Huff live on the William Aleshire farm, about three miles north of Plymouth and have a very interesting family of children--five sons and two daughters. The children attend the St. Marys school and are unusually bright and lovable. Tuesday evening the children were returning home and playing on the way. when they reached a point about half way between the Sid Richards residence and the corner a number of children were running along the fence on a high bank, the bank being three or four feet high and terminating in the road, but Roy and his brother were in advance of their companions. A short distance east is a low place in the road and a culvert or small bridge. Roy and his brother and one or more of his companions were in the flat and it is thought that while attempting to jump the ditch made by a grader he stumbled or fell just as an automobile containing Mr. and Mrs. C. D. (Dan) Brumback crossed his path. While Mr. Brumback saw the children on the high bank the little bridge obstructed the view of both little Roy and the driver of the car and before anyone could realize it the automobile ran over the boy, causing his instant death. Mr. Brumback did not go farther than twenty feet when the car was stopped and Mr. and Mrs. Brumback and Miss Gertrude Hitz, who was walking in the road with some school children, ran back and picked up the lifeless boy. Mr. Brumback thinks that the boy was breathing faintly when he reached him, but he never uttered a cry or spoke a word after being hit. Mr. Brumback left the boy in charge of Mrs. Brumback, Miss Hitz, Roy's little sister Mae, and his little brother, Damon, and hurried to the store at St. Marys where he telephoned for Dr. W. L. Irwin. The doctor lost no time in reaching the scene of the accident and probably saw the boy ten or fifteen minutes after the accident but life was extinct. After telephoning Dr. Irwin Mr. Brumback, accompanied by little Ora Lee Huff, brother of the dead boy, hurried to the Huff home to hunt the father of Roy. Mr. Huff and Mr. Brumback quickly returned to the scene of the accident and the father took charge of his lost boy. Every possible effort was made to restore life, but it was too late. The accident happened about 4:30 Tuesday afternoon and Coroner Homer Blodgett was immediately notified. He ordered the body taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Huff and an inquest was held at 9 o'clock yesterday morning. The coroner's jury was composed of Dr. W. L. Irwin, forman: L. N Phelps, T.T. Kennedy, O.L. Beadles, Joe Roberts and Freeman Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Brumback who feel keenly the loss of this bright boy, explained how the accident happened, stating that they were coming from Plymouth and were on their way home, the car going at a moderate gait when they were horrified to find the boy seemingly fall right under the wheels. Miss Gertrude Hitz, an eye witness, is 16 years of age and goes to school. She was near enough to see all that happened and she said that the car was not running fast and that the driver of the car was in no way to blame. The fact that the car did not proceed only a few feet also proves that the car, a Buick Six, was not running fast. Paul Botts and Alva Sellers reached the scene of the accident a few minutes after the accident and corroborated the testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Brumback and Miss Hitz. Dr. Irvin told the coroner's jury that he reached the scene of the accident a few minutes after having been called and made a careful examination of the body but found no signs of life. He found a bruise over the left ear and a small gash on the top and back of the head, but no fracture was found. An examination of the the body by the coroner showed slight bruises about the abdomin and the verdict of the jury was that the cause of death was from internal injuries received by a car running over him. The verdict stated that the accident was unavoidable and no blame is attached to any one. Mr. and Mrs Huff have the sympathy of a large number of friends in their hour of sorrow. Mrs. Huff is a sister of Alva and Joe Grimes of Augusta. As before stated, Mr. and Mrs. Huff have a family of very interesting children, the oldest being about 17 years of age. Roy Huff was a great favorite with all who knew him- always a good natured boy and very watchful over his brothers and sisters. Besides his parents and brothers and sisters he leaves a grandfather and two grandmothers and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins. The funeral services will be held to-morrow afternoon at 2 O'clock from the Christian church at Plymouth, Rev. W.A.Howard, officiating, and the burial will take place at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Augusta. Friends are invited to attend.

March 31, 1921
Headline:
A Plymouth Boy Killed Instantly