Chillicothe Gazette Sat. Dec. 26, 1936 Chillicothe, Ohio Cherryholmes, Carper, Chandler, Hartley, Richardson, Rout, Thompson AUTO HITS BRIDGE OVER BLACK WATER RUN ON ROUTE 23 (Married Couple and Bride-To-Be From Columbus Are Victims; Driver Escapes Injury) By Gilbert A. CHANDLER Death crossed the path of two Columbus couples as they sped south for a Christmas homecoming at Point Pleasant W. Va., and snuffed out the lives of three in a motor accident on Route 23, at 11:50 p.m. Christmas Eve. Lone survivor of the crash was Fred C. CARPER, 28, who said he was sideswiped by a north-bound auto as he rounded the curve approaching the concrete culvert over Black Water Run. The entire right side of the new Nash sedan was sheered off as it crashed into the side of the culvert and his three companions were thrown out. Two are believed to have died instantly, Mis Grace HARTLEY, 23, who CARPER said was his fiancee, and Mrs. Albert THOMPSON, 33. The third, Mr. Albert THOMPSON, 40, died en route to the Chillicothe hospital. CARPER, who is associated with his father, Charles CARPER, in a roofing business at 35 North Huran avenue, Columbus, escaped with a gash on the right leg which required four stitches to close. He told F. F. CHERRYHOLMES, state highway patrolman, and Police Chief Ben W. ROUT that they had left Columbus about 10:30 p.m., and that he and Miss HARTLEY expected to spend Christmas with her mother and be married before their return to Columbus. The THOMPSONS, friends of Miss HARTLEY, expected to spend Christmas with relatives at their former home at Kanauga, Ohio, across the river from Mt. Pleasant. Mr. THOMPSON was employed by the WPA. The tragedy was witnessed by R. R. RICHARDSON, Lunbeck Apartments, who told patrolman CHERRYHOLMES he was driving north and was about 200 yards south of the culvert when he saw a confusion of lights. He had been following an auto at about a city block's distance for several minutes, but was not close enough to see its license tags. It had disappeared around the curve north of the culvert when he reached the wreck. (sorry, aticle cut off here while copying) Cathy