Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-09-13
TRAGEDY TRAILS AUTO
LOAD BOUND FOR
BALL GAME
WOMEN ARE KILLED
ODELL THOUGHT TO BE BE.
YOND HOPE IN PONTIAC HOS
PITAL--MOTHER AND STEP.
DAUGHTER THE VICTIMS.

Slreator Sept Ia Special Two
are dead, a third dying and two others
escaped serious injury by only mir
acle, when IA Chicago 4 Alton engine
hauling lone caboose, crashed into
the Sludebaker touring car owned
and driven by Paul GischWnnd a
prominent resident Of Ransom. YES
terday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock near
Odell, ILL.,
The dead:
MRS. GEORGE MILLER. 3S, of Ran
som, wife of the manager of the
Ransom baseball team.
LILA MILLER, II, daughter of George
Miller and stepdaughtcr of the dead
woman.
The seriously injured
PAUL GISCHWINND driver Gisch-
winnd was rushed 10 the hospital in
Pontiac, suffering from internal in
juries. Thought to be dying.
The accident occurred Just north of
Odell, where the Chicago & Alton
railroad tracks cross the highway
leading from Ransom to Odell Mrs.
Millcr'S husband, George Miller. who
is manager Of the Ransom baseball
team, had gone to Odcll with the team
earlier in the day. His wife, who was
instantly killed, her stepdaughter,
Lila, Miss Violet Richards, Paul Gsch-
winnd and his brother Philip. were
on their way TO witness the game be-
tween Ransom and Odell. which was
to take place at o'clock at Odell. As
they were a bit late and would have
TO make quick time to get there in
time to see the game Gischwinnd was
going at lively clip.
A Dangerous Crossing.
The place whore the accident oc-
CURED is very dangerous crossing |
to traffic. A large barn and some
sheds obstruct the view from the
right. making it impossible for auto |
mobile drivers 20 see trains going |
east Besides the buildings making
it dangerous for tourists, there is an
incline in the road just before reach
ing the tracks and the road is very
jOggy and rough.
Gischwinnd, il is said by those who
witnessed The horrible accident. slow
ed up before reaching the crossing,
but did not come to a full stop. He
is said to have tried to look both ways
but did not see the train or hear the
whistle of the engine. which the next
instant killed two OF their party. Just
As he was on the railroad crossing. it
is said, he killed his engine. At that
! L.,
'ying lone cahOose. which was go
ing at high rate Of speed. struck the
automobile squarely. dragging it for
several hundred feet, and at the same
time grinding it TO bits, instantly
killing one of its occupants while an.
other died Immediately afr the acct
dent on the way to the Pontiac hos
pital
The many people on foot going to
the ball game, hurried to where the
engine had stopped Mrs Miller was
already dead, while the other four in
the party were all unconscious. Lila,
the II year old daughter of Mrs
Miller; Violet Richards, and the two
Gischwinnd brothers, were rushed to
the Pontiac hospital in an effort to
'"'' ''i''i liN'N' VA tll' way Ina
Miller breathed her last, while aid
was given Immediately to the Gisch-
winnds and Miss Richards.
Upon investigation it was discOv-
cred that Paul Gischwinnd the driver
of the automobile, was seriously in
jurcd internally and his death is only
a question of time. His brother Phil
ip and Miss Richards, it is said. will
recover, although they are severely
bruised and scratched up as result
of the collision and will probably be
SCARED for the rest Of their lives.
A large number of residents Of
Odcll witnessed the fatal accident,
as all eyes were cen.ered on the
train which was going at high rate
of speed. Before they could give any
warning whatever. Gischwinnd's car
was upon the tracks and the train
had smashed into it,
Prominent In Ransom.
The party. Mrs. Miller and daugh-
ter Lila, Miss Richards and Philip
and Paul Gischwinnd. are very prom
incnt residents Of Ransom and are