The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-07-26
RIGHTFUL ACCIDENT
Gustave Berndt and Two
Little DAUGHTERS Killed

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Little Daughters Killed
This city was alarmed Monday when
word was received from White that a
woman and two children had been
killed. Through mistake in names
it was at first reported that it was Mrs.
Burgess and two children, but another
phone message corrected the mistake
which greatly relieved the friends Of
the Burgess family.
STORY OF ACCIDENT
Gustave Berndt works his fathers
farm Il miles north Of White, having
come here from Chicago last year, and
resides IN town. His wife aged 81
years started from town with her two
little daughters aged six and eight
years, carrying her husbands dinner
and intending to remain during the
afternoon to assist in haying. They
were walking along the track OF the
Rock Island R'y intending to cross
the bridge over small stream north
Of the water tank. Rank weeds, four
or five feet high had been allowed to
grow on both sides Of the rack right
up to the ends Of the ties thus obscur.
ing the sight of the engineer unless
an object was on the track. Just how
the accident occurred will perhaps
never be known as the train men do
not know and the mother and daugh-
ters were all instantly killed. 1t is
evident that the two children were on
the bridge when they were struck and
that the mother was endeavoring to
reach them when she was caught. A
kitten which evidently had accom-
panied the children was also killed.
INQUEST HELD
DR.. W. Il. Tennant, the county
coroner, and Sheriff Campbell were
notified and an inquest was held
Tuesday morning, The engineer and
fireman who were drawing the passen-
ger train returned from Pipestone and
gave their testimony. Engineer
Tweedy said 81 was about fifteen
minutes late and was running about
fifty miles an hour. Saw an object
on the track near the bridge but
thought nothing OF it until We was
within $50 feet away, then saw the two
Childred and applied the brakes and
blew the warning whistle. Did not
see the woman at all. We were going
down grade and at such speed that the
train travelled about 1900 feet after
applied the air. | have been on the
road since 1876 and never had any
thing like this happen before"
An examination Of the ground
showed that had the weeds along the
track been moved the track and sur
rounding ground would have been
plainly in sight for over a half mile,
and as it was the track and bridge
were in sight that distance.
One little girl was found in the
creek, the other on the bank Of the
stream and the body Of the mother at
the side of the track. All had wounds
in the head and the bodies were badly
bruised. The kitten was found
farther down the track.
The cOrOner's jury returned ver-
dict OF accidental death, but Censured
the engineer for not giving any
warning when he saw the children on
the track and before it was too late.
The railway company was also blamed
because it did not keep its right of
way free from weeds.
The father was working in the hay
field when notified that his entire
family had been killed and was so
effected that it was feared he might
commit suicide but was prevented by
friends. The remains were taken to
Chicago Tuesday accompanied by the
grief-stricken husband and his brother
and sister.