BIRCH, James - Putnam

Frank Seybold was an eye witness to a tragedy on Sunday morning. He was sitting on the porch at the home of Charles Horn about half past 11 when two cars collided on the intersection of 41 and 36 nearby. He ran over and was in time to assist in removing a former neighbor, James BIRCH from one of the cars. Birch, who had been living in Roachdale and a friend, John Davenport had been in Montezuma and were returning home. They drove on the intersection just as a car from Terre Haute carrying Father Thiennes and 5 boys on their way to Chicago came from the south. Both cars were badly wrecked. Birch had his skull fractured his back broken and other injuries that caused his death at 7:40 that same evening. Davenport was painfully but not fatally injured. Warren Stewart, who was in the other car, was seriously injured and was taken to St. Anthony hospital. Birch lived here a number of years and was one of the group of log haulers including the Birches; Nicholsons and Yaryans who handled a large part of the timber in this section. He is survived by one daughter Mrs. LM Kelly of Terre Haute; one sister, Mrs. Lucy Miles of Montezuma and two brothers, William of Topeka, KS and John of Mecca. The body was buried in Roachdale cemetery after services at the Presbyterian Church there on Tuesday. - transcribed by kbz