Holliday Weekend Accident Toll 2 Killed, 40 Hurt In Area Wrecks

Fred Newbury b. September 19, 1926, Sesser, Franklin County, Illinois; d. September 4, 1960, buried Maple Hill Cemetery, Sesser, Franklin County, Illinois; m. Louise Lovings.

Picture Included

A 33-year-old Sesser disabled World War II veteran was killed early Sunday morning when the car he was driving left the highway and smashed into a tree. Killed was Fred Newbury, Jr., the father of two small children. The accident occured on the Herrin-Freeman Spur road, about five miles north of Herrin. Two passengers in the Newbury car were injured. They are Robert Smith, 26, Benton, and Fred Stewart, 27, Sesser. Stewart is a wheel chair patient on pass from Hines Veteran hospital, Chicago. They are both in "fair condition" at Herrin Hospital. Earl Hayes who lives a short distance from the accident heard the car hit the tree. "It sounded like a big wind coming down the road," he said. Hayes came out of the house and saw the car. He ran up the road and called Earl Smith who called authorities. Smith is a cousin to Robert Smith, the accident victim. They had not seen each other in a year. Jack Hargis, 39, Orient who was driving home, saw the accident and helped Smith and Stewart to the Hospital. Hargis said Smith was lying on the ground near the wreckage when he drove up. State Trooper Noble Starnes, said Newbury was apparently driving at a very high rate of speed, hit the railroad crossing and probably lost control of the car. The front part of the car top was sheared off. The hood was knocked of and landed about 15 feet away. Hayes mailbox post was sheared even with the ground. The railroad track crossing is about 300 feet south of the tree. There were no skid marks on the highway, Starnes said. Witnesses said the accident occurred at about 5 a.m. Williamson County Coroner, Adolph Fluck, Marion, said he will wait until Smith and Stewart are in better condition to set an inquest. Newbury's death brought Williamson County's total to 11 deaths on the highways in the county this year. Newbury leaves his wife, Louise; children Debra and Thomas at home: parents, Mr. Mrs. Webb Newbury of Sesser: sisters, Mrs. Middred Merkel of Lowell, Ind.; and Mrs. Juanita Morgan of Mt. Vernon: brothers, Albert of Rolla, Mo.: Earl of Washburn; Arthur of Renssler, Ind.; and Bobby of Sesser. Funeral services were at 2 p.m. today in the Brayfield Funeral Home of Sesser. The Rev. Bill Christoff, pastor of the First Baptist Church , officiated. Burial was in Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.

Source: The Southern Illinoisan
Date: Sunday, September 6, 1960
Submitted by: Robert Loman

The Southern Illinoisan, Wednesday, September 21, 1960

INQUEST IN WRECK FRIDAY IN HERRIN

An inquest into the death of Fred Newbury, Jr., 33, Sesser, will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Herrin City Hall by Williamson County Coroner Adolph Fluck. Mr. Newbury a disabled World War II veteran and father of two small children was killed September 4 on the Herrin-Freeman Spur road when his car left the highway and smashed into a tree. Robert Smith, 26, Benton and Fred Stewart, 27, Sesser, passengers in Mr. Newbury's car, were injured. Mr. Newbury apparently lost control when he hit railroad tracks at a high speed. The tree was 300 feet north of the tracks.

Source: The Southern Illinoisan
Date: Sunday, September 21, 1960
Submitted by: Robert Loman

The Southern Illinoisan, Sunday, September 25, 1960

Accident Ruled In Traffic Death

A Williamson County coroner's jury returned an accidental verdict Friday night into the death of a 33-year-old Sesser man. Fred Newbury, Jr. was killed when the car he was driving left the road and smashed into a tree at 5 a.m. on Sept. 5, (sic.) on the Herrin-Freeman Spur road. The accident was 3 miles south of Freeman Spur. Testifying at the inquest were state trooper, Noble Starnes of Christopher, Robert Smith a passenger in the car, and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hayes and Earl Smith, who live near the scene of the accident. Robert Smith, 26, Benton told coroner Adolph Fluck that he was riding in the center of the front seat. Newbury was driving and Fred Stewart, 27, Sesser, was on the right side. Smith said he had been to Colp with a group of Benton men but became seperated from them and started walking home. As he was walking along the highway, Stewart and Newbury picked him up. He said he was almost asleep and remembers passing over a railroad track which is about 300 feet south of the tree and then striking the tree. Stares testified that apparently Newbury was driving too fast for conditions of the road.

Source: The Southern Illinoisan
Date: Sunday, September 25, 1960
Submitted by: Robert Loman