Extracted from The Franklin Sun (Winnsboro, LA)
Thursday, December 20, 1945

Two Receive Fatal Injuries In Accident Early Sunday

Funeral services were held this week for two young men who were killed in an automobile accident in which six persons were involved near Gilbert Sunday at about 1:30 a.m. and another occupant of the automobile was said to be improving after treatment at a Winnsboro sanitarium. Three other persons who were riding in the automobile at the time of the mishap received minor injuries and have been returned to their homes.

The dead were: Pfc. William R. Porter, 23, who was at home on a 45-day furlough from the army, and Albert Eugene Wyman, 16, son of Dr. P. W. Wyman of Winnsboro.

Porter was killed instantly in the smash-up and young Wyman died of injuries approximately one and one-half hours later at a Winnsboro sanitarium to which he had been removed following the wreck, Dr. J. D. Rogers, Franklin parish coroner, informed The Sun.

Seriously injured was Miss Mildred Houston, who is employed in Winnsboro, who received lacerations of the left knee but a report from a local sanitarium Thursday morning indicated she would not lose the leg. She was said to be improving.

Two sisters of Miss Houston were also involved in the accident. Mrs. Hazel Dove was released Wednesday from a hospital where she had been treated for back injuries. Miss Juanita Houston received minor bruises but was not hospitalized, it was said. All three young women were residents of the Swampers community.

The driver of the automobile Henry Albritton, 21, a resident of Wisner, received bruises and a slight injury to the chest and was discharged from a hospital here Tuesday. He was recently released after service in the army.

The accident occurred early Sunday morning when the automobile in which the six persons were returning to their homes in the parish crashed into a bridge. It was said they were returning from a night club in a nearby town.

The funeral of young Wyman whose home is near Wisner, was held Monday afternoon and was under the direction of the First National Funeral home of Winnsboro. He leaves his father, Dr. Wyman, Winnsboro; a brother, Amos Wyman; a sister, Miss Bernice Wyman, California, and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Albritton, Wisner.

Porter, who had spent 18 months overseas with a quartermaster division attached to the ninth air corps, was buried Wednesday aftenoon at 2 o'clock in Holly Grove cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral home. Services were conducted at Holly Grove church near Wisner earlier. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Alma Porter; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Wooten, Lubbock, Tex., and a sister, Mrs. Louise Tibbs, Wisner.