The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-08-01
THREE Men KILLED.
Train Crashed Into Auto at Shelinc
CROSSING Near Garden Grove
Sunday Afternoon.

The most terrible auto accident in
the history of Decatur county, oc-
Cured at the Sheline crossing a
mile southwest OF Garden Grove
Sunday afternoon few minutes be-
fore 4 O'Clock, resulting in the in
slant death of j. S. Bicknell and son
Virgil and Mr.. Bicknells nephew,
Roy Burnell, while the latter's
father, w; J. Burnell was badly in
train for Charlton was running As
minutes late, being. in charge OF
conductor Bell and engineer Con-
standine, and were running pretty
fast up the long Weldon hill. The
crossing known as the Sheline cross
ing is bad one, the railroad run
ming through q deep cut which ends 1;s
crossing, and the public highway
comes UP across the low bottom
with a very steep rise, to get over
the railroad tracks. Mr.. Burnell
and family. who live near New Vlr, II;
ginia, had motored to the Bicknell
nell and Mrs. Bicknell being sisters.
The Bicknell home is about mile
southwest of the crossing where the
fatal accident occurred. In the al
ternoon Roy Burnell and his cousin
Virgil Bicknell each about eighteen
years old, decided to take the Bur-
nell car, an Overland, and drive in to
and just before starting their faith
They were running at a good pace
to make the grade over the crossing,
and it is presumed thought the
passenger train had passed, but it
engine struck the auto square in the
center and from the front seat back
the auto was crushed and twisted
badly, but the engine and steering
wheel were not demolished the
two young men were riding in tht
front seat, their fathers occupying
the rear seat, and none e. OF them had
men nMs sar We're CT carried 1d' east along the
track for about hundred feet, the
auto and two young men being
thrown to the north of the track,
and the two elder men were thrown
to the south side of the track; The
train was stopped at once and crew
wrecked auto. Mr.. Bicknell and
son Virgil were both dead when the
crew reached them, and Roy Burnell
breathed once or twice after being
carried into the coach. The bodies
of the dead and injured man were
taken to the Garden Grove depot
w
of Mr.. Burnell by. a physician it was
decided to take him to hospital at
Charlton, on the train. On arriving
at the hospital it was found he had
several ribs broken, one OF, which
had punctured his lung, and he was
considerable bruised, but is resting
very we'll, and will recover in time
The same train had another ac..
lcident at the crossing at the foot OF
the Derby hill known as Dead Mans
Crossing, the pilot of the engine
which had been twisted when 1t
struck the Burnell auto, catching in
the planking Of the crossing, and 1t
required, more than half an d noar
When the engine caught the plank
and the train crew thought sure
they had struck another auto.
The funeral of the three men
killed was held at Garden Grove
Tuesday afternoon in the Methodlst
church nasdr by Of fe1 the Teen
Winslow, Of the Garden Grove
Methodist church, and Rev. Jones,
Of the Garden Grove Presbyterian
church, an immense concourse OF
people being in attendance, it being
the largest funeral ever held in Car
den Grove.
John S. Bicknell was born in
Jackson county, Kentucky, April 1.
1875, and spent the greater part of
his life in that vicinity. On March
22, 1897, he was joined in marriage
to Miss Lucy Azbill, and for num-
ber of years they made their home
in Kentucky. About eight years ago
the family moved to Illinois, and
fxyo o0o thov oano f0 nooatnr
county, locating on a farm near the
Lillard school house, and this year
located on farm two miles south
west of Garden Grove which they
had purchased. He was the father
of seven children, two of these, Bes-
same accident as his father, leaving
to mourn his death the wife and
four children, Bertha, Mamma, Earl
and Elba. Mr.. Bicknell was man
Cf sterling worth, and always show
ed a deep interest in the welfare of
the communities he cast his lot
established and superintended al
Sabbath school there, and when he
moved to his new home near Gar
den Grove he did the same thing at
the Reynolds school house. He was
a kind and affectionate husband and
faCner, ana the loss OF Sucn men IN
great to any community.
Virgil Bicknell, son of the above,
was born in Jackson county, Ken
lucky, February 2S, 1900, and had
spent his whole life in the home of
his parents. He was manly young
fellow and a favorite in the neigh
borhood.
Roy Burnell was born in Madison
county. Kentucky, November 27,
1901, where he resided until thir-
teen years ago when he moved to
Illinois with his parents, and with
near New Virginia two years ago.
He is survived by his father. mother,
two sisters and three brothers.
A Strange Corn Disease.
County agent Walter Osborn was
called to the farm of M. F. Spring
or five miles northwest of Leon