Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-03-10
3 GROUND TO BITS
UNDER R. !. TRAINS
CONTINUED from page H.

.
for a moment and then pulled ont fol
Ottawa. The complained to mem
berS of the west bound crew that cH
Gaping steam from No. II ca OFF lhei,
view of the roadway. thereby makin9
it impossible to see the truck stand
ing dead across the right OF way
When the facts became known 4
the engineer and conductor OF the
east-bOund train they saw here wa.
nothing they could do and proceeded
on their way TO Ottawa. whore they
reported the catastrophe to the local
station.
The west-bCund rain. with is en-
CINE made unfit for use, was CON.
PEELED to wait on the main line until
an engine was brought mp from La
Sale to hIul the passenger to that
city.
Cause Of Accident Mystery.
VIVA, caused Mr.. Windus. who was
driving the truck, to drive his vehicle
into the westbounJ passenger will
eyer remain d mystery. From any
point on the bridge over the l. & NJ.
canal the tracks are visible 10 tn"
east for considerable distance. while
mile or more
One theory, and l. seems the most
! plausible one. Is that Mr. Windus ANA
members OF his ra.tt saw the Oncom-
Ing east bound train and were in
tently watching il, without giving any
heed 20 the east, from which direction
! No, Was bearing down upon them.
As tho tracks in both directions are
equipped with automatic signal.
which ring bells At the crossing, il f.
supposed they had warning Of the ap.
rOacl Of the trains, bat thinkint
there was but one of them, and that
coming at a distance from the west
they would have ample time to get
across the tracks, Mr.. NinduS drove
his truck ahead just as the west bound
nSeF shot across he crossing In he
confusion Of he moment it il further
, supposed the driver became befut.
! died and instead OF applying the
brakes ana stopping his machine he
/ threw il forward with such violence il
hit the train with enough force t.
( cripple the locomotive Whether that
! frs crash killed he occupants OF the
/ truCE, or whether they liVtai LONG
enough 10 meet death before the on
coming east-b0uud train, is sealed
from mankind in those mute lips
which were picked up Il few minutes
| later from the blood-soaKed gravel
! OF the right OF way
Fog May Have Blinded Driver
Another theory is that wave OF
mist passed over that section OF tn"
! Jog enyeloped valley just as No. II
came within striking distance, and
none OF the men in the truck We're
aware Of their danger when they hit
the westbound train Still .hirI
theory is that the truck became un-
mana seaable. its breaks refusing to
operate at the vital moment, letting it
crash down the incline from the
bridge into the path OF the trains.
Identified by Papers.
Identification of the three known
dead was made possible by reporters
of the Free Trader-Journal who found
in the torn pocket OF an oVercoat an
elevator receipt issued to Howard
HailoWell, while another representa-.
tive OF the paper found in a pocket
which had been torn from a coat .
| hunting license which had bee issued
by City Clerk Cur is to Albert Windus
sheriff c, :. Ayers completed identih-
cation OF the trio by finding purse
containing $3.50 and a postotiice re
ceipt issued to Ernest Windus. Be
fore that time none know who We're in
the Inflated party. Prior to the ar
rival Of he sheriff men who were
early on the scene of the accident
found $ll,02 i'll a pocketbook which
contained no name or means of ident,-
Tying its owner.
check book was the first clew
TO the Identities OF the men. and the
only inkling which then loCmtd as Il
possibiliay for identification was n
stub showing that on Feb. % check
for $3.50 had been made out to San
ders Brothers. There was no name
to show the Owler of the book One
check drawn to order of SELF was
unsigned and not cashed.
Were After Seed Wheat.
In Ottawa members OF the party
before departing on their way to-
death, told employees of the Butterfed
garage on Court street. where the
truck was purchased some months
ago they We're on their way to The
farm OF Fred Roberts, near Utica
where they intended buying seed
wheat for spring planting.
The party left home early this morn.
ing. accompanied as far as Ottawa by
William Parr, we'll known farmer
of Freedom and for a while. when re. |
ports showed possibilities OF four men
having been killed Mr.. PARIS name /
was included in the casualty list until
it was found he lett the auto here and
did not continue ives: ward on the
wheat purchasing trip. He intended (
To ride back home with Mr. WindUs .
"oWever. arrangements having been
Tade to pick him up here on the
return journey. 1t fell to Mr.. PARIS !
LOT to notify Mrs, Windus and mem
bers OF ,he HALLOWEEN family OF the
terrible tragedy as soon as he was
apprised of the facts.
Mrs. Windus, her daughter and 9th !
ers Of the neighborhoOd came to town
and through pieces of the clothing
picked up and brought to town made |
identification of the bodies complete. /