Mar. 31, 1944 McDonald Record-Outlook One Drowns, Three Escape When Car Goes Into Creek One person was drowned but three others escaped when an automobile failed to take a curve and plunged into the branch of Chartiers creek at McConnell' s mill, on the Houston-Hickory road about 12:20 o'clock Sunday morning. Robert Balmer JOHNSTON, 24, of Sturgeon who was driving the car, drowned before rescuers succeeded in reaching him. Those escaping from the car which landed on its top in the stream after plunging over a bank of about six feet were Mr. and Mrs. Louis HARRER, aged about 24, of Presto, near Woodville, who were riding in the rear seat, and Miss Wanda LUCE, aged about 20, of Langeloth, who was riding in the front seat with young JOHNSTON. Deputy Coroner L. P. SPEAKMAN said he could find only slight brush burns on JOHNSTON's body but theorized that he per haps had been rendered unconscious by being hurled against the steering wheel or perhaps by a head blow. Young JOHNSTON had a crippled leg, the result of a coasting accident when he was 12 years old, in which his sled crashed against a train at Sturgeon. The three who escaped from the car said they had tried to locate JOHNSTON in the complete darkness but that they had been unable to do so. They yelled for help and William MCCARTY and John CUMER, who resided in the immediate vicinity, hurried to the scene. They finally removed the young man's body. Deputy Coroner SPEAKMAN reported the automobile was "better than half-submerged" in water. He said JOHNSTON apparently had not applied the brakes. Mr. and Mrs. HARRER and Miss LUCE said they were able to keep their heads above water most of the time, but were not able to tell very definitely what did happen until they had made their way through the rear door of the automobile. They were removed to the home of Clarence MALONE and remained there until they were able to arrange their return to their homes. The four young people had left Houston where they had stopped to eat a spaghetti meal shortly before midnight. The creek is about eight feet from the road where the tragic accident ccurred. A car plunged into the creek about a year ago at that point when the driver failed to make the curve but no other accidents have occurred there, it was indicated. Young JOHNSTON was a son of W. Ray and Florence BALMER JOHNSTON of Sturgeon. He was born at Carnegie, August 21, 1919. A sister Kathryn and his two grandmothers, Mrs. Nora BALMER of Sturgeon and Mrs. Margaret JOHNSTON of Pittsburgh, survive. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon in the JOHNSTON home conducted by the Rev. Grant M. MCKNIGHT, D. D., pastor of the Robinson's Run church, McDonald. Burial was in Robinson's Run cemetery.