Notes for: Henry Ellis Tillotson Bodine, Jr.
He died in a tragic auto accident in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
From Ronny Bodine:
The Fort Wayne News and Sentinel of 19 Nov 1919.
Ellis Bodine, 14-year-old son of Henry E. Bodine, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, 1714 Lake avenue, suffered a compound fracture near the base of his skull and died almost instantly early last evening when a big touring car which he was driving crashed into a light roadster at the corner of Lewis and Harmer streets. Two young high school girls, Helen Lewis and Mary Schaaf. who occupied the rear seat of the Bodine automobile escaped without serious injury. Ernest Epler, 2803 Alexander avenue, driver of the roadster and his companion L. R. Parker, also of 2803 Alexander avenue, suffered nothing more than numerous scratches and bruises, although they were hurled a distance of fifteen feet and their car was reduced to splinters.
Mr. Epler said this morning that he was driving east on Lewis street at a speed less than ten miles an hour when the big car came from the north on Harmer street. Young Bodine evidently did not see the car approaching from the west until he was at the intersection but then he made a heroic attempt to stop his car. He applied the brakes and the big machine swerved to "the southeast crashing into the roadster and ramming it into a telegraph pole. Eyewitnesses say that the youth was driving nearly forty miles an hour.
As the touring car swerved and crashed into the little machine the two young ladies who occupied the rear seat were hurled across the street. They were badly bruised and cut, but suffered worse from fright. They were taken to their homes where they received medjcal aid.
Young Bodine was pinned beneath the steering wheel of his machine and it was evident that he was dying when he was extricated, immediately following the collision. The police ambulance removed him to the Hope-Methodist hospital, but he was dead when the hospital was reached. An examination by Coroner Charles J. Rothschild revealed a compound fracture at the base of the brain.
The force of the crash, threw Epler and Barker from the roadster and hurled them a distance of more than fifteen feet and upon the steps of a church building at the corner. Neither received anything more serious than cuts and bruises and this morning they were little the worse for the accident. Persons who saw the accident, declare it a miracle that either of the men escaped with their lives. The light car was terribly twisted and mangled.
Miss Lewis, one of, the occupants of the Bodine car, said that she and her friend Miss Schaaf were on their way home from school when they were met at the.corner of Harmer and Washington streets by young Bodine who invited them to ride. He told them he was on an errand for his patents and that he was soon going to his home in Lakeside. Two blocks from the corner where the girls boarded the car, the accident happened.
The Bodine youth had just secured the car from a' downtown garage. A few minutes prior to the mishap he visited his father in the Office of the Chamber of Commerce. "Be careful," were Mr. Bodine's last words to his son as he patted him on the shoulder when he left the Chamber of Commerce building.
The smaller of the two telegraph poles on the corner was broken off at the ground by the force of the impact, and fell toward the cars. It is possible, owing to the fact that the top of the touring car was bent back and, torn that the post may have struck the Bodine boy on the back of
the head, thus causing his death.
Ellis Tillitson Bodine was born fourteen years ago Wellsboro, Pa. He came to Fort Wayne a year ago when his father, Henry E. Bodine accepted the secretaryship of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. The youth was in the first year at the Fort Wayne high school, and was considered one of the brightest lads in the freshman class. Recently his name was added to the honor roll of the class. The boy had a remarkable scientific turn of mind and was a skilled mechanic. He attended the First Presbyterian church.
His survivors, including his parents are one small brother, George; and two grandmothers, Mrs. Julia Bodine, of Wellsboro Pa. and Mrs. George Smith of Atlanta City.
He was buried in Wellsboro Cemetery, Tioga County.