The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-07-21
TRAGIC ENDING OF WHAT BEGAN
AS A GAY PARTY OF PLEASURE
SEEKERS.

Frank Magee, the young man TAX
en- to the Germantown Hospital short
ly after midnight Saturday suffering
from injuries received at the Mt. Airy
avenue crossing of the Reading Rail
road at Mt. Airy half an hour previous,
died at the hospital at ago yesterday
morning. All of the others injured
in the same accident will recover.
AS told in the Inquirer OIL yester-
day, the party, which consisted of ten
persons, Mr.. and Mrs. Troth, the
Misses Mary and Bessie Laturette,
Miss Sheip, Miss Hanson, Joseph
Doyle, Edward Wells, Joseph Murphy
and young Magee, were returning
in large farm wagon tiom Willow
Grove, where they had driven during
the afternoon. A hired driver was
managing the horses. AS the wagon
approached the crossing Mr.. Troth
saw the train coming, but supposed
that the driver saw it too, and intend
ed to stop until it had passed. Half a
minute later he discovered that this
was not the case.
"For heavens sake" he shouted in
alarm to the driver, "don't you See
that train coming. Stop quick"
But the driver either did not hear
or it was too late to stop the horses,
and the next instant the rapidly NOV
ing train struck the wagon with its
load of human freight. Mr.. and Mrs.
Troth were seated in the rear end of
the wagon. The man grabbed his
wife and managed to pull her and
himself out onto the ground before
the crash came. Mr.. Doyle succeed
ed in doing the same thing with Miss
Sheip. These four were the only
ones who escaped uninjured.
Young Magee, who was sitting in
the front end of the wagon, was hurt
about the chest and the back of his
head was crushed in. Miss Hanson
sustained severe injuries about the
head, while one of Mr.. Wells ankles
was broken. The Misses Laturette
and Mr.. Murphy were also hurt, the
latter, it is feared, internally. The
driver of the team escaped with few
Bruises
Magee was put aboard the train
and taken to the Chelten Avenue
Station, from whence he was removed
to the Germantown Hospital. He
remained unconscious until he died a
couple of hours after reaching there.
The others who were injured were
conveyed to the home of E. Ritten-
house Miller, near the scene of the
accident, and physicians sent for. All
but Miss Hanson and the Misses
Laturette were able to leave for their
homes shortly after. Yesterday morn
ing Mr.. Wells was taken to Atlantic
City. Young Magee's body was
brought to the home of his parents,
1925 Lehigh avenue, later in the day
and will be buried from there to-mor-
row morning.
The accident was tRetragic ending
to what was planned 70 have been a
jolly house party at the home of Mr..
and Mrs. Henry H. Sheip, at their
summer home in Chestnut Hill. The
young people were their guests and
the ride to Willow Grove and back
was a part of the days program. Mr..
and Mrs. Troth were the chaperons
for the ride.
1t is said that the driver of the
wagon was familiar with the fact that
the train that struck them was due at
the crossing about that time, but he
probably miscalculated the distance
it was away. The engineer saw the
perilous position the wagon and its
occupants were in and endeavored to
stop his train. The speed was too
great, however, for him to do more
than slow up. This probably saved
the lives of some of those in the wa
gon, for had the engine struck it when
going at full speed without killing two
or three others the escape would have
been miraculous.
Young Magee was member of the
firm of Stefan & Magee, fancy goods
manufacturers, at Broad and Vine
streets. His father is a member of
the Ivins, Deitz & Metzger Co., car
pet Observation-Disclosures In
gnirsr, Monday.
CThe unfortunate young man was
a brother to James Magee of this
town, and, resided here for some
time, during which time he was in
business with his brother.-Ed.