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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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Ludington Daily News
September 19, 1949

              6 From Baldwin
              Die At Newaygo
              
              Truck Misses Turn
              Falls Into River
              When Brakes Fail
              
              NEWAYGO - (AP) - A truck loaded with
            Negro farm workers, plunged through a
            bridge railing into Muskegon river here
            today, drowning at least six.
              On the word of the 13 known survivors,
            two men and four women were tentatively
            identified as the victims.
              They were:
              FOSTER LYERSON, about 42.
              JESSE JAMES, about 40.
              WILLIE MAE BARNETT, about 20.
              SADIE SINEGAR.
              Mrs. SADIE WHITE.
              Mrs. DOROTHY WHITE.
              
              JAMES FELT and ELIZABETH JOHNSON are
            in critical condition at the Newaygo
            hospital.
              The accident occurred about 7 a.m.
            when the truck carrying 21 persons was
            enroute from Baldwin to the onion fields
            at Grant, Mich.
              The truck, approaching Newaygo from
            the north, failed to negotiate a sharp
            turn at the foot of a hill approaching
            the bridge. The careening vehicle rip-
            ped off 25 feet of the bridge railing
            and plunged into deep backwaters above
            the Newaygo dam. 
              WILLIE JONES, 44, driver of the ve-
            hicle, told state police his brakes
            failed as he slowed down to make the
            curve at the foot of the hill. JONES
            said he tried to throw the truck gears
            in reverse in an effort to stop.
              The clashing of the gears was heard
            by survivors just before the hurtling
            truck ripped through the bridge guard
            rail.
              The six bodies were recovered by Sea
            Scout Leader DON TERRILL, and two former
            scouts, DEL MEADE, JR., and MILTON AMES,
            who were at the Newaygo Sea Scout base,
            about 200 yards from the scene of the
            crash.
              The survivors climbed up the banks
            of the river as the three dragged for
            and recovered the bodies. Two were 
            taken to the Fremont hospital for treat-
            ment, and others returned to Baldwin.
              Sheriff ROBERT HART of Newaygo county
            continued dragging operations.
            
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