Miller Co Autogram
December 28, 1933

HEAD STRUCK POSTS ON INTERCITY VIADUCT AS HE
LEANED FROM CAR, SAYS THE KANSAS CITY PAPERS
BERNARD HENNESEY AND KELLIS WRIGHT, OTHER
OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR, HELD FOR QUESTIONING

Tuscumbia relatives and friends were shocked and deeply
grieved to hear Saturday morning that John Hawken, son of
Mr. and Mrs S. P. Hawken of near Tuscumbia, met death in
a tragic manner Saturday night while he and Bernard Hennessey,
19, and Kellis Wright, 25, were driving westward from Kansas City
Mo., to Kansas City, Kansas, over the intercity viaduct.
According to reports in the Kansas City Papers, his head struck
several posts on the viaduct as he leaned from the rear window of
the car. Hennessey told Capt. Stanley Beatty of the Kansas City,
Kansas police department that it was several minutes after the
accident before he and Wright knew that their comrade had been
injured. They said they discovered it when they noticed Hawken's
head and shoulders protruding from the open window. Capt Beatty
found blood on several posts on the viaduct.

Young Hawken was employed at the Kansas City Packing and
Fibre Box Company, where his uncle, W C Hawken, also worked.
He was boarding at the home of Jas. Anson, who married a cousin
of Hawken.

Mr. and Mrs Hawken, parents of the victim, received word of his
death at 3 am Saturday and Mr Hawken departed as quickly as
possible for the city, and arrangements were made to bring the
body to Tuscumbia for burial.

John was born near Tuscumbia April 5, 1909, and was therefore
24 years, 8 months, and 17 days old. He was an honest and
industrious young man, an employee in whom one could put the
utmost dependence, and it is regretted that so stalwart a young man,
just in the prime of life, should meet with so untimely a death.
The host of relatives and friends here and elsewhere deeply
sympathize with the parents, his brothers and sisters.

Besides his parents, he leaves to mourn his death five sisters
and three brothers.---Mrs Truman Vernon of Eldon, Mrs Forrest
Lewis of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Mrs Malachi Wyrick of Tuscumbia,
Perry of Jefferson City, Miss Myrtle, Miss Francie, Wayne and
Jesse at home.

Funeral Services were conducted at the Tuscumbia Christian
church by Rev S A Crouch, pastor, with a chior of eight young
men with T C Wright in Charge. These services were held at
10;30 am Christmas Day, and the building was packed to over-
flowing. The Eldon Funeral Home had charge of the burial arrange-
ments.

The body was laid to rest in the Tuscumbia Cemetery. Pall bearers
were six of his intimate freinds---H. L Wright, Lloyd Stone, Homer Clay
Wright, Tollivar Lawson, Otto Richardson and Emmett Crane.