Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-26
ONE KILLED, FIVE
HURT. WHEN AUTO
RUNS INTO TRAIN
Party Touring from Illinois to
Florida When Auto Crashes
into Central of Georgia
Train at HapevilIe


three others are expected to die as the
result OF a collision shortly before L
o'clock Friday afternoon between
stusehaker seven-passenger automobile
and a fast Central OF Georgia passen-
Ger train. southbound. The accident oc-
.ur-as At the point near the Hapeville
ratlroad depot. where the Stewart ave-
mt road crosses the Central OF Geor-
gia tracks.
Mr.. w. D. Tatman. Bloomington. Ill.
was killed
Those believed 10 be fatally injured
are Glen Tatnan. "a. chr son; Leona
Tatman. 1s. her daughter. and Mrs.
Cora Tatman, aged 80. her daughter-in-
law
Rsne Erdman. rs, a carpenter In the
smplov Of W. d. Tatman. is seriously
injured. but has chance 20 recover.
d Tatman, husband Of the dead
woman. was the only occupant OF the
machine to escape without injuries
FROM ILLINOIS.
All NJ the occupants Of the car live In
bloomington. Ill. and they were on their
u-av 70 Miami. Fla. TO spend the remain
der Of the winter with two sons of Mr..
and Mrs. Tatman-. Their names are
Fred and Henry Tatman. who moved to
Florida only a few months ago to enter
business
w.D. Tatman is a prominent contrac-
tor and builder OF bloomington.
The accident. according to the story
NJ Mr.. Tatnan. whose only marks as
,be result OF the collision which hurled
The machine many feet in the air. and
+hravr ALI occupants from the car. Is
very slight scalp wound. was the result
az confusion among occupants or the
car as to which road the autoists should
take
AZ the time OF the accident Mrs Tat
man was looking over an auto road map,
while her son. Glenn Tstman. who was
driving. was endeavoring to learn
whether 20 turn TO one OF the ROADS
which intersected
TOOK WRONG ROAD.
It developed after the accident that
The sutoists should have taken the
Jonesboro road. which intersects Stew
art avenue before the railroad tracks are
reached.
The injured were all brought to the
Atlanta hospital and Immediately placed
on the operating tables Their heads
were a mass OF blood and Miss Leona
Tatman, Mrs. Cora Tatman and Glen
Tatnan had deep scalp wound and
fractured skulls
PHYSICIANS at the hospital at once
declared that their deaths were only
question OF a few hours. Erdman has
less serious scalp wounds and Is
thought TO have = fair chance for re-
covery.
To persons who are familiar with the
tracks at the point Of the accident, IL
seemed almost an impossibility for such
an accident to have occurred. The rail-
road tracks for several hundred yards
are open, clear and perfectly visible.
But the fact that the occupants OF
the automobile failed 10 hear the train,
or see il is explainable by the fact
that because Of the cold winds the heavy
curtains of the machine. on all sides.
were fastened securely. 1t is thought
that the approach of the train was not
detected for this reason
The car was completely demolished.
According to eye-witnesses 10 the ac-
cIdent. the machine collided with the en-
zine Of the passenger train. striking the
engine on the side OF the pilot
1T All happened so quick that IL
really is hard just to understand how
Il did happen" stated ". ID. Tatman. /
was dazed by the collision and when 1
RECLAIMED my senses my first thought was
OF my wife She was dead when /
reached her"
number Of ambulances were sent to
the scene Of the accident. among those
being one from Greenberg & Bonds. one
from Awtrey & LOwndes. and one from
Harry C. POOle's- The injured were con-
veyed with all possible haste 70 the hos
pital
Mr.. Tatman accompanied the injured
10 the hospital Before leaving he sent
he following message from the Hape-
vile station:
Mrs. Hazel Darev. Chicago. Ill
Mother killed Atlanta; auto struck
train. W. d. TATMAN."
Mr. Tatman. besides his daughter,
Mrs Darew. and the two sons in Mi
ami. has two other sons now in Bloom
ington. They were notified OF the ac-
eident by wire by Undertakers Green
berg & Bond
The body OF Mrs. Tatman was taken
TO the Greenberg & Bond establish
ment.
Nr. Tatman's escape from any injury
is regarded as nothing short Of remark
able.
Mr.. and Mrs Tatman and their party
arrived in Atlanta Thursday night
They registered at the Aragon hotel,
where they remained until noon Friday.
They had spent the night and the half
day in Atlanta awaiting an outfit
known as a trailer, consisting OF camp
ing supplies. The device is constructed
so IL may be connected with the rear
end OF an automobile. Mr.. Tatman Sad
ordered the trailer sent him here. When
IL failed TO arrive by Friday noon, the
party decided 70 proceed with their
journey.
Fred and Henry Tatman in Miami had
made great preparations to receive
their family. A Christmas reunion had
been planned. Mrs. Cora Tatman is the
wife OF Fred Tatman-
Funeral arrangements have not been
made.
Six Trainmen Are Killed
In Wreck on Seaboard