The Elizabethville Echo reported the following on 29 September 1932:
Inquest Today In Death Of Donald Matter
According to Coroner Dr. Howard Milliken, an inquest in the death of Donald W. Matter, 26, who died at his home near McClellan Sunday will be conducted in Harrisburg today. Matter died as the result of a fractured scull, Sunday evening.
The investigation being conducted by the coroner is being directed on the theory that Matter was struck by a motor vehicle while walking along the highway near his home.
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Earlier, the Harrisburg Evening News, 29 September 1932, told the following:
SCULL FRACTURE KILLED MATTER
Donald Wardell Matter, 26, of Halifax Township, who died at his home Sunday, “came to his death from a fractured scull, received on the night of September 24 at Tourists’ Park (near Halifax), when struck by a car parked along the highway, in turn which was struck by a car driven by G. H. Hevner, of New Haven, Connecticut, and moved ten feet,” according to the verdict of a coroner’s jury at an inquest this morning in the death of Matter.
No responsibility was placed by the jury on Hevner or E. L. McCormick, of 9 South Sixteenth Street, Camp Hill, owner of the parked car.
Hevner and McCormick testified that they had not seen Matter until several minutes after the collision of their machines when they found him lying along the opposite side of the highway, about twenty feet from the scene of the crash.
John Forney and Alvin Parmer, both of Halifax, testified that they were spending the evening with Matter at a cottage near the scene of the crash and that Matter had left the cottage a short time earlier, intending to be gone only a few minutes.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 6 October 1932:
Death of Donald Matter Remains Mystery
The death of Donald Matter, who was found along the highway near Tourist Park, early Sunday morning, September 25th, remains a mystery, following the exoneration by a coroner’s jury of two motorists. Matter was a resident of the McClellan community.
Matter was found in a dazed condition along the road shortly after a collision of automobiles operated by G. M. Hevner of Trenton, New Jersey and E. L. McCormick of Camp Hill. It was first thought the young man had been injured in the accident .
He was taken to the office of Dr. D. E. Hottenstein, who advised his removal to the home of his wife’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Deiter in Halifax Township. Motorists who had taken him to the physician believed him to be under the influence of liquor, because of his actions. About six o’clock that morning that morning, Harris Dunkle of Halifax saw Matter wandering about the Halifax railroad station in a dazed condition. Dunkle then notified his brother, Wayne Matter, who took him to his home near McClellan.
During the day Matter was able to walk about the house, although he remained in a dazed condition, and was only able to answer questions of his wife in the negative or affirmative. After eating a light supper he went to his bedroom where he was stricken and assisted to bed by his wife.
Dr. J. E. Bogar of Millersburg, was summoned, but upon his arrival at 6:30 o’clock, pronounced Matter death [sic]. An examination by the physician revealed a contusion on the back of Matter’s head.
At an inquest, the two motorists, Mr. McCormick and Mr. Hevner, declared that they had not seen Matter, and that did not find him until some time after the accident and at some distance from their automobiles. The condition of the man’s apparel also would not indicate that he was in an automobile accident, it is said.
John Forney and Alvin Forney testified at the inquest that Matter had visited them at the Preston Parmer cottage near Tourist Park Saturday night. Parmer said that he left the cottage and Matter left after he did. A short time later Parmer said he heard the noise of the automobile wreck.
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And, finally, from the Elizabethville Echo, 10 November 1932:
ASKS $5,000 DAMAGES AS RESULT OF HALIFAX CRASH
E. L. McCormick, Lemoyne garage man, was named defendant in a suit for $5,000 damages brought in Dauphin County Court by George H. Havner of Easton.
The action is the result of an automobile accident on the state highway near Tourist Park, north of Halifax the latter part of September.
It is alleged that McCormick’s automobile was parked on a curve, on the wrong side of the road and that Havner’s machine ploughed into it. The plaintiff asks compensation for damages to his machine and injuries he sustained.
Much interest had centered upon this accident, because it was a short time after it had occurred, that Donald Matter of Halifax Township was found lying by the roadside in an unconscious condition.
A coroner’s jury later exonerated both motorists from responsibility, and Matter’s death remains a mystery. An autopsy revealed that he had sustained concussion of the brain. The fact that he was found some distance from the accident and a short distance off the highway, coupled with the fact that his clothes were not torn, nor his shoes scuffed, belief that he might have been struck by an automobile was discredited. It was contended that had the man been struck by an automobile, his clothing would have disclosed such evidence. It was also stated that the brain concussion was the only mark of injury on his body.
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News clippings from Newspapers.com.
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