Quaif, Lena May (White) 1869-1931 and Marie Louise Quaif 1907-1931

Quaif, Lena May (White) 1869-1931 and Marie Louise Quaif 1907-1931

Mother, Daughter Killed at Madison

Mrs. Fred L. Quaif and Marie Louise

Die From Fractured Skulls—Car Overturns

Cooperstown, Aug. 21---A Cooperstown mother and her 24-year-old daughter were instantly killed in Madison late this afternoon when the roadster in which they were riding left the highway and turned over twice before coming to a stop.

They were Mrs. Fred L. Quaif, 50 years old, wife of vice president and director of the Second National bank, and her daughter, Miss Marie Louise Quaif.

The mother and her daughter left Cooperstown at 4 o'clock this afternoon for a weekend trip to Cortland to visit with friends. They went by way of the Cherry Valley turnpike.

When they got to Madison, Miss Quaif was driving the car and as they entered the village there was construction ahead. The road was being made into a three panel highway and two of the panels had been completed. Suddenly the rear wheels of the roadster slipped off the concrete and Miss Quaif tried to bring them back into the highway. The car was traveling at a speed of 30 miles an hour. In the attempt to get the car back onto the highway the brakes of the machine apparently became set and it started to somersault.

Mrs. Quaif was thrown out of the machine and she struck the pavement. On the second turnover Miss Quaif was pinned underneath the wreckage. Both died instantly from fractured skulls.

State troopers for the Hamilton outpost were notified and they rushed to the scene to investigate. Dr. O. L. Langworthy of Hamilton, coroner, was notified and he came to the scene of the accident. He pronounced that death resulted from accidental causes. The bodies were removed to the Richmond Undertaking parlors.

Identification of the driver was made by her automobile license. The Hamilton outpost notified the state police station of Troop C at Cooperstown and Mr. Quaif was told of the tragedy. He and Ziba L. Holbrook left immediately for Madison. Funeral arrangements have not been made as yet.

Double Funeral Today

The double funeral of Mrs. Quaif and Miss Quaif will be held from their late home, 35 Nelson avenue, at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon. The Rev. Thomas Chapman, pastor of the Cooperstown Universalist church, of which both were devoted members, will officiate, and the interments will be made in the White family plot in Lakewood cemetery.

Mrs. Quaif was Lena May White, the only daughter of Joel G. and the late Louise Hudson White, and she was born in the town of Springfield, November 23,1869. In her childhood she moved to Cooperstown with her parents to reside, where she had been a life-long resident, and was held in the highest esteem and warmest affection for her many fine qualities of heart and mind. Her marriage to Fred L. Quaif of Cooperstown occurred February 26, 1896. In her home she was a charming hostess, a devoted wife, daughter and mother, and her position as a loyal and patriotic citizen of the community will never be filled.

Marie Louise Quaif was born in Cooperstown, March 16, 1907, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Quaif. She attended and was graduated from the Cooperstown High school with the class of 1926, after which she attended Russell Sage college at Troy, later taking a two years' secretarial course at the Knox School for Girls here, graduating in 1929. For some time past she had been employed as secretary in the office of Alexander S. Phinney, local real estate dealer. In her untimely death, one of the village's most popular and talented young women has been taken in the flower of her youth. Surviving are the husband, literally crushed by his double grief.

Probe Reveals Car Hit Quaif Machine

Inquest to Be Held Tuesday at Hamilton

----Double Funeral to Be Held Today

Cooperstown, Aug. 24---A renewal of the investigation of the incidents surrounding the accident which occurred at Madison on the Cherry Valley turnpike Friday afternoon, which cost the lives of Mrs. Fred L. Quaif, one of Cooperstown's most socially prominent women, and her daughter, Miss Louise Quaif, has brought to light Miss Quaif's car was struck by another car coming from a driveway on her left. Hitting the left rear wheel with sufficient force to knock off the hub cap and loosen several of the wire spokes, which contact threw the rear wheels of the car off of the road and out of the control of its driver.

Trooper Dudden of the Hamilton outpost of state police, who made the first investigation of the accident when called shortly after 6 o'clock Friday afternoon was unable to find that any other part was implicated in the accident, and the result of his investigation was so reported. Later Friday night, Superintendent Portner of the Dale Engineering company, which is constructing the new highway at the site of accident, chose to renew the investigations on behalf of his company in order to establish any interest in the liability which his company might be called upon to bear. It was revealed in his private investigation that a Mr. Johnson of Madison, farmer by occupation, had driven out of a driveway to the left of the highway upon which Miss Quaif and her mother were traveling, and according to the admissions since made by Mr. Johnson to the state police, the two cars hit. A hub cap from the right front wheel of the Johnson car is said to bear further evidence of such a contact.

On Saturday, Attorney James J. Byard, Jr., of Oneonta, representing the interests of Mr. Quaif, with Frank B. Shipman and Bernard J. Holbrook of this village,k spent the entire day at the scene of the accident, and as a result of their conferences with several individuals having direct information upon the accident, a corner's inquest is to be held in Hamilton Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with Coroner Dr. O. S. Langworthy presiding. No report of the accident, it is said, had been made by Mr. Johnson up to the time that he was questioned Saturday.