The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-12-22
WIN. TIliel, MOtorcyclist, is
Killed Instantly in We'd
nesday Accident.
CRASHED INTO WAGON
Rider Suffers Fractured Skull
When He Crashes in
to Load of Lumber.

A fatal accident happened eight
miles south of Kenosha on the Shefl-
dan road on Wednesday evening when
William Thiele, said to be about twenty
four years Of age, a resident OF Lake
county, Illinois, was instantly killed
when the motorcycle which he was
riding crashed into the rear end of a
wagon load of lumber being hauled
from the Great Lakes Naval Training
Station to Kenosha. The driver Of the
load of lumber was Jacob Bentz, a
farmer whose home is in West Kenosha
BentZ was forced to unload his lum-
Der because of the accident. He went
on to Zion where he turned himself
over to the authorities and waited un-
I'LL this morning to attend the inquest
into the mans death.
Heard Thud of Accident.
According to Bentz' story, he was
driving along, seated on top of his load
of lumber with lantern beside him.
He was surprised to suddenly feel q
violent shock and did not know what
was the matter till he got down off
the wagon and went to the rear. There
he found that motorcycle had rammed
the load with such force that Aka
bolster was broken in two and also
the reach. The rider of the motor
cycle was dead at the side of the road
and there were two deep gashes in
his forehead, showing that death must
have been instantaneous.
Word was brought to the Zion police
about the fatal accident and Assistant
Chief George Stirred and fireman inn
mediately answered the call. They
found that the motorcycle was badly
smashed up and the man was dead.
An auto truck was then dispatched to
the scene and the motorcycle brought
to the fire station, and later the body
of the man was taken charge of by
Otis Scripter, Zion undertaken, and
brought to the morgqe.
Body is Identified.
Motorcycle Policeman William Peter
son Of Winthrop Harbor, went to view
the scene of the wreck and he informed
officer Stried of the identity of the
man who was killed, as he stated that
he had seen just such a motorcycle
and believed it was, driven by a man
living near the little school house, just
halt way between Zion and Wapkegan.
This proved to be true and it only re-
manned for the officer to call up Henry
Thiele, q farmer living on Sheridan
road and the father Of the dead rider,
to tell him the bad news.
Did Not See Wagon.
The fatal accident happened at 5:45
p. m, so that it was quite dark.
Whether or not the driver of the
motorcycle saw the lantern on the
wagon can never be known, but it is
probable he didn't for he surely would
have had time to swerye to the right
or the left Of the wagon SO as to
clear himself.
1t seems pity that the law is lax
in regard to lights on buggies and
B wagons at night. 1t is just as import
ant, or more SO, for a buggy or q
wagon to carry both head and tail
lights as it is for an automobile, al
though many farmers and others don't
seem to think so, for the law is fire.
quentIy broken in this respect.
It wass stated that William Thiele,
the man that was killed, made frequent
trips to Camp Logan to see friends of
his and it is probable that he was
bound for that place when the acct
dent happened. He was well dressed
and wore an oyercoat.