The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-17
FIVE PERSONS KILLED
BY PASSENGER TRAIN
VICTIMS WERE OCCUPANTS OF
FLINT JITNEY BUS
Accident Took Place Saturday After
noon just South of City; Two Vic
Tins Formerly Lived Here

railroad crossing just south of the city
limits in Flint, last Saturday after
noon at 3.45, when fast northbound
Pere Marquette train struck jitney
bus bound from Fenton and Grand
Blanc for the city, killing four of its
occupants outright and seriously in
juring three others, one of whom,
Benjamin Berkowitz, driver of the bus,
died few hours afterward.
Those who died as result of the ac-
cident were: Benjamin Berkowitz,
Flint; Mrs. Jacob Lafurgey, 55, Mt.
Morris; w. Clinton Sain, 80, Chicago;
George Randle, 32, Clio; Claude Dutch
er, 35, Grand Blanc.
The injured are: George Varnum, IS,
Fenton, both legs fractured below the
knees; decorations of face and head and
burns on back; condition serious, but
improving; Mrs. George Wietke, 36,
lives three miles north of Fenton near
Long Lake, decorations of back and
face and bad bruises on body; now inn
proving rapidly.
The driver of the car had an unob-
structed view of the track for dis
tance of a half mile or more, and the
coroner's jury which investigated the
matter, held that he was. responsible
for the terrible affair.
Just what caused Berkowitz to drive
his machine onto the track will never
be known. The survivors state that
they expected him to stop every mo-
ment, as the auto was not travelling at
rapid rate, but it seems that he must
have been preoccupied and did not see
the train until a moment before the
crash came. The engineer of the train
did not see the car at all, as it ap-
preached on the fireman's side of the
cab. The fireman did see it. but like
the passengers in the auto, expected
that it would stop. Striking the auto
just back of the front seat the engine
srrewed wreckage and bodies along t,se
track for half mile.
Peculiar local interest is lent to the
accident because of the fact that two
of it's victims had lived in Clio and were
well known here.
Geo. Randle had lived at Pine Rur
with his mother prior to coming here. a
year or so ago, but last spring the
mother was taken to the county infirm-
airy for care, as she was a cripple, and
the young man, not having steady en-
ployment and being without means,
could not provide properly for her. He
had been out to the infirmary on the
day of the accident and he and his
mother were planning on maintaining a
home in Flint this winter. He had
hailed the jitney, as it passed the in
firmary and had not been an occupant
of it to exceed five minutes when he
was dashed to his death. Mr.. Randle
is said to have received the most terri
BILE injuries of any of the party, one en-.
tire side of his face and head having
been crushed to pulp. He had taker
out an accident policy from C. w. Job.
son, some months ago, under which g
funeral benefit of 500 is payable anc
it is thought his mother will be bene.
ficiary to the extent of S400.
Claude butcher, of Grand Blanc, for
merly lived here where he was an EN-
ploye of the brick yard. While here
he was married to Miss Ella Smith
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Aaron Smith
who with FIVE months old son, sur
wives him. He was brother of Mrs
Arthur VonRenner, of this place. Hi
mother also resides here in the home O
MIR. and Mrs. VonRenner, and he ha,
two brothers living in Bentley and on
sister near Bay City. He was an esti
mable young man. Funeral service
were held in Grand Blanc on Tuesday
Mrs. Jacob Lafurgey, of Mt. Morris
had been resident of that place abou
eight years and leaves hus band an,
four sons and one daughter.
The Inflated jitney was a new Over
land and was sold to Rerkowitz by Les
! lie Gillett about two months ago. Th
latter says that he considered the own
er of the bus nice man in every way