Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-30
J. p. FRANKIE, WIFE, AND DAUGh
TIERS, ALBION, NEB., MEET
TRAGIC FATE.
AUTO HIT BY c. 4 N. W.
PASSENGER At CROSSING
Ono Of tho Girls Killed Instantly, An
other Lives But Few Minutes, and
Parents Die After Being Taken to
State Center For Medical Aid
Probable Identity Established by
Travellers Cheques Issued Few Days
Ago at Waupun, Wis.

Four people. presumed to'be ]. T..
FRANKIE wife, and two daughters. OF
Albion. Neb, were killed at o'clock
Monday night when the Ford car in
wnlch they were driving westward on
the Lincoln highway was struck by
the Pacific Express the Chicago &
Northwestern's west-bound passenger.
No. 10. on a grade crossing two and
one-half miles east Of State Center.
Running forty miles an hour, the
train struck the automobile squarely.
dragging 1t $50 yards. Mr.. and Mrs.
FRANKIE remained in the wrecked car.
but both OF the girls were thrown into
the north half Of the right of-way,
about 100 yards from tho crossing.
One Killed Instantly.
The younger of the two girls. pre-.
sume9 to be about IA. was killed in
stantly. her skull being fractured. The
older girl, probably about II, was
breathing when people from State Cen
ter picked her up preparatory to
hurrying her to State Center for medi-
cal, aid. One of her legs was broken.
as was also an arm, and one side OF
her head was crushed.
Mrs. FRANKIE, who apparently was
about As, had both legs broken, one
being q compound fracture; both arms
were broken, and she WIS badly bruised.
She died as she reached State Center,
Where Drs Theodore Engle, I. D.
Kaufman, and A. ID. Wood were about
to care for her. Mr.. FRANKIE. who is
believed to have been about 55. lived
twenty-five minutes after he reached
Sttte Center His head was crushed,
AMI his face cut badly, and he never
resiained consciousness sufficiently to
give his name or address.
The bodies were all removed to the
Brlmhall undertaking rooms at State
Center Coroner A. r. Lynn was noti-
He'd, and went to State Center this
afternoon to investigate the circum-
stances of the tragedy.
Name on Travellers Cheques.
On memorandum contained in the
clothing OF the man Is the name ]. p.
FRANKIE. This appears on a receipt. and
confirming 1t as the name of the victim
Is the issuance at Waupun, Wis., five
day ago. Of four travellers cheques for
$50 each. made out to j. p. FRANKIE
Other memoranda give Albion, Neb.,
which is presumed to be the address Of
the family. Authorities there have
been communicated with in an effort to
establish definitely the names and ad-
dress. Further indication of Nebraska
as being the home state of the family
is the fact that the car they Occupied
bears a NebrasRa license.
Car Stops on Crossing?
From the best information obtainable
from trainmen, the engine of the car
was killed" just as the crossing was
reached.
The touring party was using the
Lincoln highway on its way west, and
was compelled to detour because of
repairs to'a bridge. The Northwestern
runs around a hill to the southwest for
a distance before reaching the crossing
and then follows it's general direction
of due west. The highway parallels the
track for about 200 yards. A knoll be-
tween the highway /and the railroad
tracks prevents automobile passengers
from seeing the. crossing until they get
over the crest of the bill. A detour
sign. necessitated by the repairs to the
bridge, directs traffic to take a north
road, and the grade on this road is
quire steep. The road also is rough,
and view toward the east Is unob-
tainable until the occupants of cars
almost reach the track. 1t is presumed
thai FRANKIE slowed up owing to the
grade and roughness Of the road and
stalled his engine just as the crossing
was; reached.
Had Been on Long Trip.
From all indications on memoranda
found on the bodies the members of
the family had been on long trip.
Addresses of people living in Waupun
were the most numerous, and the tray
elers CHEQUES would indicate that that
city was the last stopping place of any
length. Other addresses of people at
points in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas
and Texas also were found.