The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-12-26
KENOSHA PEOPLE NEAR DEATH
Automobile in which Half Dozen Ke-
nosha People Were Riding Had
Cleared the Tracks Just Before Ac-
cident Which Resulted in One Death.



Of Mrs. Elizabeth Ryan of Norwood
Park, g former Kenosha woman, re-
suited in tragedy on Tuesday after
noon when one Of the automobiles OF
the funeral cortege was struck by an
engine on the Chicago and Northwest
ern road near Glencoe and Mrs Ieter
Ludwig of Chicago was instantly kill
ed and four Others very seriously in
iured. Half dozen Kenosha people
who had gone to attend the funeral
escaped death by the narrrowest of
margins.
The injured people were all veil
known to Kenosha people and they in
Guided John Brannon, member of the
Chicago fire department; Mrs. William
Shannon, wife of member Of the
Chicago department; Paul Frank and
Miss Julia Vernon. DR.. Herbert A.
Robinson of this city, who happened to
be on the train, attended the wounded
people and directed that they be re-
moved to the hospital at Waukegan.
The automobile in which the unfort-
innate people were riding was the last
vehicle in the funeral procession. The
way to the cemetery lay across the
Northwestern tracks at point where
they made a sharp turn into the north.
The rest Of the carriages and auto
mobiles had safely crossed and the
auto with Mrs. Ludwig and party had
just reached the tracks, when the
train, going thirty miles an hour, swept
around the bend and crashed into
them. The screams of the victims as
they saw the approach of death caus-
ed other mourners to turn. Then they
witnessed the accident
just in time to see the mangled and
distorted body of Mrs. Ludwig thrown
dead from the automobile, P. III. Lud-
wig, her husband, who was riding in
an automobile ahead Of the i'll fated
car, screamed, and, leaping out, ran
back to his dead wife's body and,
throwing himself upon it, implored her
to speak to him. He was taken from
the scene by friends to the home of
Fred Wendt of the Chicago police de-
partpent. In the automobile with him
were Mr.. Wendt and Edward Hansen,
a fireman. Ludwig is also member
of the Chicago fire department..
The huge engine was. seen by the
witnesses to crash into the machine.
and while dragging it along the tracks
distance of two hundred feet, the in
jured people were seen to fall from it.
The auto had caught upon the pilot
of the locomotive and it was not I'M
til the train was stopped that it was
possible to pry it loose.
In the meantime the mourners had
left their carriages and fastened to
the spot. Mrs. Ludwig was picked up
and after short examination by a
physician who happened to be on the
train, was pronounced dead. Her
skull had been crushed. At the time
of the crash she was seated in the
front seat on the side nearest the train.
In the automobile which had crossed
the tracks just before the fatal acct
dent was a large company of Kencsha
people. It included former Alderman
and Mrs. George R. Wade and members
of their family, Matthias Wade, Nicho-
las and John Thomas. George Wade
had seen the approach of the engine
and had shouted al warning to the reo-
pie behind but it came toe late. The
automobile in which the Kenosha party
was riding had just clared the cross
ing when the engine dashed by strik-
ing the other automobile.