Drunken Driver Slams into Hicksville Crowd

"DRUNKEN DRIVER RUNS AUTO INTO BIG CROWD.
Hicksville Man Hit and Is Believed to Be Fatally Injured.
Others Painfully Hurt.

John Barleycorn = liquor
K. of  P. = Knights of Pythias
bastille = jail
Amaden Hospital = precursor to the
current hospital in Hicksville

Hicksville, O., May 21.  (1919)

Tuesday night Hicksville underwent an exciting experience such as the town has not known for years.

The reason therefore is directly traceable to John Barleycorn.  While High street was lined with people admiring and enjoying the splendid drills and exercises being put on by the Sampson K. of P. team and members of the band from Butler, Ind., who were here as guests of the Hicksville K. of P. lodge, an automobile came up High street from the direction of Payne and, without any signaling, drove right into the crowd without a moment's warning.  The car contained Sim Howard, who was driving, and Joe White, Harry Bricker, Alf Ginter, and Winfield Felger.





The automobile struck the crowd with such force that J. J. Dock, the new owner and manager of the Hicksville Handle Company, was thrown to the pavement and rendered unconscious.  He was immediately removed to Amaden hospital, where an examination indicates he is possibly fatally injured.  Mr. Dock came to Hicksville only last week from Three Rivers, Mich.

Besides Mr. Dock, several other men were injured, but not seriously.

Howard, the driver, was immediately placed under arrest and locked in the city bastille.  Whether there will be any more arrests will depend on developments.  Condemnation was heard on all sides over the reckless affair, and the last days of the 'booze' business in Ohio are being marked in Ohio by an unusual number of drunks on Hicksville streets."

 

The followup article appeared the next day, both articles from the Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana - May 21 and 22, 1919.

"DRUNKEN DRIVER FINED BY HICKSVILLE MAYOR

Hicksville, O.  May 22.

Sim E. Howard, the man who drove a car into the crowd on High street Tuesday night, seriously injuring J. J. Dock and bruising other men, was before Mayor Richards Wednesday morning and was assessed a fine of $25 and costs, the charge being for driving a car while in an intoxicated condition.

This does not preclude the probability of a damage suit against Howard for the injuries sustained by the men struck by the car.  Winfield Felger, who was with Howard, was assessed a fine of $5 and costs also on the charge of public intoxication.  So far no action has been taken against the other occupants of the automobile at the time of the accident.  Mr. Dock, who was the most seriously hurt, is slowly improving at the hospital here." 

Lyman A. Carpenter - G.A.R., Bishop Post

Photo taken 1909 (according to Bishop Post minutes)

LYMAN ANDREW CARPENTER

The 14th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, "The Old Fourteenth," was the first regiment formed in northwest Ohio for service in the war, and it was the first Northwest Ohio unit to see action at the Battle of Phillipi in West Virginia.  Lyman Carpenter answered the call to duty, enlisting as soon as the unit was formed on September 5, 1861, and he was processed into Company H, for for a three year term of duty, according to the official roster of Civil War soldiers. 

At some point, he was wounded, probably at Missionary Ridge, the last battle of the year in 1863 before the march on Georgia began in the spring of 1864. On the 1890 veterans census, he reported that his "right arm was shot off near the elbow joint."  On February 18, 1864, he was discharged due to his disability, having served 2 years, 4 months, and 10 days.

The date of discharge does not seem to be correct.  He filed for pension after being discharged in Feb, 1864.

 Lyman returned to Defiance County, married his wife, Mary, and settled in Defiance Township.  In the 1870 census, his occupation was school teacher, and he was 26, Mary was 18, and they had little Elizabeth, 1 year old.  In 1880, he was still working as a teacher and they had added children, Lyman, Myrtle and Anna.  In all, Lyman Sr. was the father of ten children.

Lyman knew heartbreak as he lost at least four of those children, his wife, and a brother before his own death.  For his son, Leroy, Lyman was in a much publicized trial against the Defiance County commissioners for Leroy's wrongful death.  He alleged that the commissioners should have placed guard rails on a raised road leading to a bridge from which Leroy and a friend, George W. Moore, drove off of with horse and buggy and drowned. George's father also sued the county. The boys died "on the 28th of March, 1904, while crossing the raised road leading to the English bridge on the south side, where the high waters of the river submerged portions of the road."
(Defiance Express, October 9, 1905)

The results of the trial would be rather astounding, perhaps, to us today:

"$200 Verdict Against County

A verdict of $200 was given Lyman Carpenter on a suit against county commissioners for damages sustained in the death of his son who was drowned two years ago in March, while crossing the partially submerged road leading to the English bridge in Defiance Township.  The amount asked for was $5,000.  Neither parties in the action are satisfied with the verdict, and it is probable it will be appealed."  (Defiance Express, November 19, 1906)  

Lyman served his community as a land appraiser and was appointed to the relief commission which helped the indigent.  By 1920, a widower -(Mary having died on March 4, 1915) - he lived with his son-in-law, Louis H. Fricke, also a widower, and grandson, Clarence H. Fricke, 15.  

Lyman A. Carpenter died on March 13, 1925 and was buried in Taylor Cemetery, Defiance County, along with his wife and one of his daughters, Anna M. Carpenter Osmon.  His death certificate listed the cause of death as surgical shock and the place of death as Defiance Hospital.  He was 82 years old. 

The Defiance Crescent-News reported on his funeral on March 16, 1925:

"The funeral of Lyman A. Carpenter, who died Friday, was held yesterday at 1:30 p.m. at the home of his son, Frank Carpenter, 205 Tacoma avenue, at at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist church, Wayne avenue and Third street. 

Members of the Grand Army of the Republic to which organization Mr. Carpenter belonged, conducted their services, while Ben B. Morris was in charge of funeral rites.  Burial was made in the Taylor cemetery, Defiance township.

Members of the American Legion were the pall bearers: A. B. DeKay, John C. Marlott, M. C. Cullison, Charles H. Hemlein, Ed. C. Duerk, and H. H. Goltzene.  Bugler John Bittinger sounded taps at the grave."

 

The stone was also for Lyman's parents, Samuel Carpenter and Eunice Phelps Carpenter. 

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