The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-25
Ploughs Into a Hay Wagon,
Which is Loaded With
Merry-Makers
THIRTEEN ARE DEAD
AND MANY INJURED
Victims Were Returning to
Homes After Celebrating
At Anniversary of
Wedding

NEENAH. WIS. Sept. 24.-North-
bound Northwestern road passenger
train No. l2l crashed into hay rack
party at the Commercial street inter
section here at 3.45 O'Clock this morn
ing, killing twelve persons outright,
and in1uring one more, who died a
few hours later. Nine others were
hurt four Of them perhaps fatally.
Eight occupants OF the wagon, in
GLIDING the driver, escaped with
slight injuries. Most OF the victims
were residents OF Menasha.
The dead.
JOHN DRILL. Chicago.
JOHN HART,
FRANK SiaCARDT.
MABEL. FINN,
ISABELLE SuCHOWSkG
GUSTAV FINN,
STEVEN LISEk.
MABEL REM.
JOHN SCHEDICK,
JOSEPH SGHEpICk,
DOMLNICk OMIECHINSkI.
JAMES CHESTER,
JOSEPH GIENYO. all Of Menasta-
The victims OF the crash were re-
turning from the Peter Hanson farm,
located on the Dixie road. three miles
outside of Neenah where they had
gone ten hours previous to attend
the celebration OF a wedding ami
versary and dance.
Bodies Are Muulated-
Armless. legless and headless bodies
covered the tracks as the train. nine
coaches in length, was Brought 10 "a
stop 500 feet from the scene OF the
crash. Several Of the bodies were
so badly mutiated that Identification
was possible only by fragments Of
clothing that chung To the injured
parts. Six victims. all dead, We're
piled on the engine pilot, where they
lay until removed by members Of the
train crew and passengers who vol
unteered their service.
Two others were hurled through
fiagman's shanty alongside the fatal
crossing. the force of the contact
practically upending the little struc-
fure.
John Sched!ck was instantly killed
and his body was removed from un-
der the shanty. while Miss Finn, who
was hurled through one OF the side
walls OF the house, was stiIi al'Ve
when removed. but died a few h 'urs
later. Another Of tho victims, who
was instantly killed and whose body
was not found util a half hour after
the crash, was hurled over barn
fifty feet from the railroad light of
way. MARRY every bone In has body
was broken.
Miraculous Escape.
Among the occupants Of the hay
rick were Mr.. and Mrs Joseph Brl@-
fnski and their child OF two years,
They were seated In the from. hail
OF the rick. the mother holding the
child in her lap at the time OF the
impact. About half way back in tne
rack sat Mary Schwartzhauer. The
latter was hurled about nifty feet ana
practically denuded by the crash. She
was rendered unconscious. and when
found tE rescuers the Briginski child
WAS In her arms, having escaped
without scratch. The child's par
ents were not injured
Peter Hansen. driver and owner OF
the horses attached to the rig. was
hurled by the impact bat managed
to hang to the reins the horses being
separated from the wagon. Hansen
was the only one not temporarily
stunned by the collision, and was
alone engaged IN rescue work until
trainmen and passengers arrived.
Approach Is ObscMred.
The Northwestern right OF way at
Commercial street ruus diagonally
across the highway, and n big bill
board at the side of the right Of way
In a measure ohscured the view of
pedestrians and drivers Mist and
fog filled the atmosphere. adding to
the difficulty OF seeing the approach
ing train.
Driver Hensen declares he made
every effort to look In both directions
along the track. but did not observe
the onrushing train until HIS team
had reached the track. He whipped
un the horses. but managed to get
the wagon only half way across the
tracks. The fact that the highway
runs diagonally with the track made
the situation all the worse, the big
engine blowing practically a 45 de-
gree angle through the load of hui
man victims.
The train was running at high
rate OF speed. being nearly half
hour behind time. Practically every
person on the wagon was an en-
ploye Of the Manaha wooden factory
and were invited to the Hansen farm
TO attend the wedding anniversary OF
one OF their fellow employees. Mr..
Hansen had taken the merrymakers
to his farm in the early evening and
was taking them back home, the
round trip being completed within a
miles drive when the collision oc-
CURED.