The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-10-18
LONE SISTER IN RUSSIA
Only Near Relative Is Penyun Alekna,
of Kowno, Russia-Accident Occurred
Near Burlington Road Crossing
Victim Stepped in Front of Car.

For the first time in many years, one
little Russian peasant girl will wait in
vain this month for her usual letter
and check from her older brother in
far away America as result of an
accident early Sunday morning when
a Chicago, Milwaukee and Lake Shore
express car struck and Instantly killed
Joseph Alekna, aged thirty-four, the
brother who for years had regularly
sent a good portion Of his monthly
earnings to Penyun Alekna, his sister,
in the old country. The accident hap
pened about four-forty-fve Sunday
morning when Alekna, who for some
reason or other, had wandered along
the ear lines, stepped out of the path
of a work-car directly in front of a
fast express train. The car gave him
a glancing blow on the head which
fractured his skull and killed him
instantly. The car was in charge Of
Charles s. Boyle as motorman and
Edward J. Murphy as conductor, who
brought the mangled remains back
to the Prairie avenue crossing and
summoned the police ambulance.
The members of the crews of the
two cars admitted that the haze of
early morning, even with the strong
lights Of the ears, prevented them from
seeing exactly how the accident oc-
Cured. It is known, however, that
Alekna was walking north and stepped
off the track to avoid a south bound
work train, without looking around for
car from the north and was caught
just as the two cars passed The
mystery in the case is to find the rea-
son for Alekna being in this location
SO early in the morning. The victim
of the accident left his rooming house
at 300 North Chicago street early
Saturday evening and was seen until
neatly midnight at the Germania Hall
on Milwaukee avenue With two, com
panions he went after that to house
at 107 Pleasant street, which after a
little trouble, he left in less than a
half hour. His friends cannot explain
why instead of returning to his rooms
on North Chicago street, he wandered
in a directly opposite direction to the
place where he was killed. The case
is further complicated by the fact that
his watch and pocket-book, supposed
to contain about thirty dollars, and
which he is thought to have had on him
at the time Of the accident, are
strangely missing, but the officials
do not believe that this is an evidence
of foul play.
In addition to his sister in Kowno,
Alekna has but one relative, an uncle
Joseph Alekna, in Baltimore, Mary
land, who has been Informed Of the
fatal accident. Alekna has been a
citizen of Kenosha for more than
eight years, during all Of which time
he has been employed at the N. R. All
len Sons tannery. He was a steady
and skilled workman and had saved
from his earnings considerable sum #
money which is deposited in one Of the
local banks. He was well known among
the Russians Of the city and was a mem
Der of the st .Benedictus Lodge Of the
st. Peters Church, from which the
funeral services will be held probably
Wednesday morning. The coroner
held an inquest over the remains
this morning and returned verdict
of accidental death caused by being
struck by fast express train.