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.
