AMERICAN VETERAN

Oklahoman Archives 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
August 29, 1936, pg 3

LESTER LEROY SMITH

Rites for Lester LeRoy Smith, 8 years old, killed by a car near Spencer Thursday night , will be conducted Saturday at 3 pm at the Ebenezer church at Spencer.
Burial will be in the Spencer [Kolb] cemetery, with the Garrison funeral home in charge.

source of stone image

Oklahoman Archives 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
August 28, 1936, front page

Auto Kills 8 -Year Old Spencer
Boy as He Coasts Across Road ad Child Darts Into Path

Lester Leroy Smith, 8-year old son of a Pentecostal Holiness pastor, was crushed to death early Thursday night as he darted in front of an automobile on his coaster wagon near his home, a mile north of Spencer. The boy died while he was being brought to Oklahoma City by Buster Rogers. 26 years old. Luther, driver of the death car. Rogers was driving to Oklahoma City when the accident occurred. The Smith boy. his brother. Elmer Smith, 12 years old. and a neighbor boy. Clifford Evans, were playing on the Jones-Spencer cut-off highway to Oklahoma City.

     Speed Is 40 or 50 Miles

"I was driving about 40 or 50 miles an hour, and started to slow down when I saw the boys about 200 yards away," Ropers said. "The Smith boy was on the side of the pavement on his coaster wagon, and Just before I came opposite to him. he started across the pavement directly in front, of my car."

Rogers said he felt the wheels of his car pass over the Smith boy, and stopped about 40 feet down the highway. He immediately picked up the youth and drove to Oklahoma City. When they found he was dead they took him to the Garrison funeral home and then went to the sheriff's office to make a report.

     Further Questioning Due

Rogers was told to return to the county attorney's office for further questioning Friday morning. Bill Smith, 16-year-old brother of the dead boy, accompanied Rogers to the. sheriff's office. He said his father and mother. Rev. and Mrs. W. A. Smith, were in Apache conducting a. camp meeting. Rogers is employed at a garage in Luther. The Smith boy' s death was the fifth in Oklahoma county within the last two weeks. Three of the five occurred within the city limits.