Mason - Burrell
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review May 15, 1973 p 1
Burrell Mason, 77 of Rt 2, (Arrowhead Hills Addition) became Montgomery County's 2nd traffic fatality of 1973 when his late model car was crushed about 10 a.m. under a semi-trailer loaded with coal a mile south of here on US 231. Sheriff's deputies on the scene moments after the acident said Mason's car was struck broadside as it was turning into a discount store's parking lot. Two wreckers were required to lift the truck's cab off the automobile. Wrecker operators spent more than an hour trying to separate the two vehicles before Mason's body could be removed. City firemen assisted wrecker operators in trying to remove the truck from the car. County Coroner RUssell Powers pronounced Mason dead at the scene. Ricky D. Foster, 20 of 404 S. Franklin St, Bloomfield, told deputies he was northbound with his truck loaded with 20 tons of coal when he noticed the southbound Mason car cut into his lane to pull into the parking lot. Deputy Kenneth Williams said the truck driver told him that Mason was being followed by another semi-trailer truck and failed to signal for the turn. Williams said the driver of the semi-trailer truck following Mason failed to stop. Foster's truck skidded approximately 100 ' before strking the car at the north entrance to the parking lot. The truck, with the car pinned under it, skidded off the pavement into a ditch where both vehicles went another 110' before coming to a stop. The trailer broke loose from the cab and toppled over into a farm field. The cab remained upright on the auto. Foster, who has been driving for a year, said he noticed the car coming and the next thing he knew was that it was turning in front of him. Foster said he is employed by Mildred Bays Truking Co of Bloomfield and was en route to Purdue University from Jasonville. Foster's truck was the first of 3 Bays truck which were northbound at the time of the accident. Junior Pearson, also driving for Bays was behind Foster. He said he saw the taillights on Foster's truck come on and he pulled his vehicle a little to the left to see why Foster had applied the brakes. "Just as I moved over I saw the tailend of the car as it went in front of the truck and then they hit," Pearson said. Mason was retired after farming in the Browns Valley area for many years. He had also been employed by RR Donnelley & Sons for a short period. His widow, Katherine is employed as a secretary for the Indiana State Highway Department.
Source: Crawfordsville Journal-Review May 16, 1973 p 3
Funeral services for Burrell Mason, 77, of Rt. 7, who was killed Tuesday in a car-truck accident south of the city, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Reeves Funeral Home at New Market. The Rev. William Schalk will officiate. Burial in Indian Creek Hill Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Thursday. Mr. Mason was a retired farmer. He was a WWI veteran and a 50-year-member of the Byron Cox Post of the American Legion. He was a graduate of Browns Valley HS and attended Wabash College. Mr. Mason was born Dec 23, 1895 in Montgomery County, a son of Frank and Mary McCormick Mason. He was first married to Louise Patterson. She died in 1946. He later married Katherine Patton McCrew on Aug 26, 1949 at Chicago. Surviving with the widow are a brother, Lawrence Mason of Ladoga and two sisters, Mrs. Hester Pointer of New Market and Mrs. Cecil (Opal) Linn of Crawfordsville.