Sarah Redmond Cousins
1858-March 9, 1928
Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Saturday, March 10, 1928, page 1, col. 8, continued page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library
AUNT SARAH COUSINS KILLED AND HUSBAND HURT IN AUTO CRASH
Aged Colored Couple Run Down While Crossing N. Fifth Street
ON MISSION OF MERCY
Civil War Veteran and Wife Were on Way to Call on Sick Friend
Aunt Sarah Cousins, 71, widely known and respected colored woman residing at 115 Howard street, met a tragic death and her husband, Ben Cousins, 83, Civil war veteran , was critically and probably fatally injured while they were crossing North Fifth street at Poplar avenue about 7 o'clock last night when they were run down by an automobile driven by C.W. Coats of Sister Lakes, VanBuren county.
The aged couples started to walk to the home of friends near Pokagon when the accident occurred at a spot just south of the north limits of the city.
Coats was exonerated of all blame by a coroner's jury at an inquest held this morning by Justice Hardy Langston under direction of coroner George Slaughter, of Benton Harbor, and Sheriff Fred Bryant, both of whom came here to investigate the mishap.
The tragedy occurred, according to witnesses, when three automobiles were moving in the vicinity of the intersection and practically abreast at the same time. Two of the cars, the one driven by Coats and another passing around him in the same direction, were proceeding south, The third car was moving north.
Witnesses testified the aged couple had left the west side of Fifth street, successfully avoiding the car passing north and the one speeding around the Coats car and then stepping directly into the path of Coats' machine [which] stopped within 10 feet after the couple was run down. He said he was traveling about 18 or 20 miles an hour.
Coats testified he did not see the couple until at the moment of striking them. He felt slightly the impact but for a moment thought that his car had been brushed by the car which had speed around his machine. When he stopped the woman was lying the right side of his car beside the front fender, and the aged colored war veteran lay on the pavement a few feet away.
Police immediately were notified and the injured man and dying woman rushed in a Rutherford ambulance to the Pawating hospital where the woman died shortly after arrival. Mrs. Cousins suffered a fracture of the right leg, fracture of the right arm and internal injuries.
Besides Coats, John Hathaway, a (continued from page 1) colored youth, was the only eye witness to the tragedy. He said he saw the couple start from the west curb and peered to the south to avoid traffic from that direction, but that they paid no attention to danger from the north. He saw the lights from the car which passed around Coast play upon them and thought for a moment they had safely passed to the other side. He was standing on the south side of the Gafil oil station on Fifth street a short distance away from the scene
Other witnesses who testified at inquest were Joseph Flint, colored, who passed immediately after the accident, G.M. Graham, white youth who told of seeing three cars approach the intersection; Deputy Sheriff Chester Overcash and Night patrol man, William Darling, both of whom answered the police call.
Coats was represented at the inquest by Attorney Phil Hadsell. The coroner's jury was composed of the following: Harvy Mansfield, foreman, Gerald Kernn, Charles Burridge, Fred Harris, Arthur Knott and Forest Granger. The hearing was held in the council chamber.
Mrs. Sarah Redmond Cousins was born in West Virginia. She came to Niles from West Virginia about 25 years ago. She was married to Mr. Cousins in 1914. Besides her husband, she is survived by seven children by a former marriage. They are Mrs. Molly Mayle, St. Louis, Mich; Mrs. Retta Ely, Detroit; Mrs. Ada Finley, Ada, Wis.; Mrs. John Cook, who resides on the north Beebe farm, Niles; Nathan Pritchard, Kalamazoo; Warner Pritchard, Flint; William Pritchard, Mishawaka.
Mr. Cousins is a veteran of the Civil War. His only son, Benjamin Cousins, Jr. was killed during the Spanish-American war at the battle of San Juan hill. He body was brought back for burial.
Mr. and Mrs. Cousins occupied a unique place in colored circles in the city where both have been highly respected. They were honest in the dealings and were kind to those in distress. Last evening they were on their way to visit a sick friend when the accident occurred. By a co-incidence her daughter, Mrs. Cook, went to call at the same home last evening and was met at the door with the news of the accident. She rushed to the hospital but her mother was not conscious and died without recognizing her. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cousins have long been members of the Second Baptist church, attended it meetings faithfully, and their home has long been a meeting place for social and business meetings of the congregation of that church.
Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, March 12, 1928, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library
WITHHOLDING NEWS OF DEATH OF HIS WIFE FROM AGED VETERAN UNTIL TODAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah Cousins, 115 Howard street, fatally injured on Friday evening when she was struck by an automobile, were held this afternoon at the Second Baptist church, of which Mrs. Cousins had long been a member and faithful worker. Rev. Allen, pastor of the Second Baptist church, in Dowagiac, conducted the services. Burial took place in Silver Brook cemetery. A large number of friends and relatives from Niles and other cities attended the services.
The condition of Ben Cousins, the aged husband who is in Pawating hospital, and who was injured in the same accident, is considered very serious today. He was not advised of the death of his wife. He had asked about her frequently during his conscious moments, but it was thought best to keep the fact of her death from him until today.