Youth Fatally Hurt in Crash South of Peru
William Rose, 24, Succumbs At Dukes Hospital Of Skull Fracture
William Rose, 24 years old, of Kokomo, RR1, died in Dukes Memorial hospital here early
Sunday of a skull fracture and other injuries sustained when his automobile crashed along
Road 31 about a mile southeast of Peru.
The accident occurred Sunday at 12:20am and Rose died at 4:15am. In addition to a basal
skull fracture he suffered crushing injuries to his lower jaw and bad ulcerations and
bruises over his entire body.
Goes Over Embankment
Rose, who was alone, was traveling north at high speed in his 1937 Packard coupe and the
crash occurred when he failed to negotiate a curve near a small bridge a short distance
south of the Kelly avenue bridge.
Going over an eight-foot embankment along the pavement, the car traveled a distance of 282
feet before coming to a stop upside down on a fence. Rose, who was unconscious, was found
100 feet from the car in a field at the east side of the road. It was doubted that he was
thrown that far and was believed he may have staggered that far before collapsing.
A guy wire on a telephone pole had been broken and the pole was leaning over the road.
This attracted the attention of a passing motorist, who then found the wrecked car and
heard someone groaning out in the field.
Car Total Wreck
The motorist, whose named was not obtained, hurried to a filling station and phoned
Sheriff Robert A Tillett, who summoned the Allen ambulance and then rushed to the scene.
Rose was taken to the hospital and died without regaining consciousness. Tillett was
aided in the investigation by State Officer Bodey.
The Packard automobile, a complete wreck, was towed to the Richter garage opposite the
police station.
Sheriff Tillett reported that as a result of a two-way radio broadcasting unit installed
in his car, he was able to notify police, who in turn broadcast to Kokomo police and the
victim’s parents were notifies of the accident about 10 minutes after Tillett reached the
scene.
Rose, who was unmarried, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rose, and was employed by his
father, a Kokomo plumber.
Funeral Wednesday
The body was taken to the Rich funeral chapel at Kokomo, where funeral services will be
conducted Wednesday at 2pm. Interment will be in Crown Point cemetery at Kokomo. The
body will be taken Tuesday to the parental home two miles west of Kokomo on road 22, where
friends may call until the remains are returned to the funeral chapel Wednesday noon.
Surviving besides the parents are a sister, Mrs. Lucille Hollingsworth, of Columbia City;
the paternal grandfather, A P Rose, Kokomo and the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
John Huffman, or Mooresville, Ind.
Young Rose, who had spent most of his life in the Kokomo community, was a member of the
Eagles lodge there.
PDT 20 March 1939, p1,2