The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-05-25
MOTHER OF SIX
STRUCK BY TRAIN
Mrs. Margaret Kuiafski, a
Widow, Meets Terrible
Death Today.
HURRYING TO WORK
Tragedy Ends Mothers Fight
to Keep Family when She
CraWls under Gates.

A brave fight of a mother to keep
her family together and properly rear
it following the death of the husband
and father, ended in tragedy at the
Grand avenue crossing of the North
western railway just before one o'clock
this afternoon when Mrs. Margaret
Kuiafski aged forty-nine years and
the mother of six children, was struck
and instantly killed by the south-bound
passenger train which was due in Ke-
nosha at 1850. The terribly man
gled body of Mrs. Kuiafski was pick
ed up along the tracks and taken to
the Mischler morgue where it was
later identified by Elmer Kuiafski, the
oldest of the children.
Mother had been with us at dinner"
said the young man as he wiped big
tears away from his eyes. "She had
just gone back to work at the Han
nahs plant She was seemingly very
happy when she was at home and she
left to hurry back to work"
Mrs. Kuiafski had been employed in
the plant of the Hannahs Manufactur-
ing company for some time and it is
believed that she failed to see the
approaching train. Coroner Parker
is max sg an investigation into the
accident this afternoon.
Crawled Under the Gates.
Accounts of the accident as given
by witnesses declared that Mrs. Kuiaf-
ski in hurrying to get to work on time
had crawled under the gates at the
Grand avenue crossing. A switch en-
CINE had just passed on another track
and it is presumed that she was watch
ing it and failed to see the approach
ing passenger train from the north
Her body was hurled several yards to
the sidewalk on the east side of the
tracks. She was dead when witnesses
reached her side and it is believed
that she must have been killed in
stantly.
It was recalled this morning that
her husband, Constantine Kuiafski,
was badly injured in a similar acct
dent many years ago, when he mar
rowly escaped death and was badly
crippled. Since that injury she had
helped in supporting the family. The
husband died in 1919 and since that
time she had been the chief support
of the family. She was aided by her
sons, Elmer, aged %, and Henry aged
Is, and by the daughter, Miss Jose
phine Kuiafski, IT, who was employed
at factory in Zion. The younger
children, Walter, IA; Frank, Ii, and
Charles, 8, were still in school
The Kuiafski home was at 351 Jenne
street.
Sure Gates Were Down.
Joseph Ruffalo, the fagrnan at the
crossing, and Hans Hansen, the gate
man, told the police that they were
sure that the gates had been lowered
for the train. Conductor Nightingale,
who was in charge of the train, de-
clared that the engineer stated that
he did not see the woman until the
train was upon her.
Mrs. Kuiafski was born in Poland
where she lived for many years.
Twenty years ago she came with her
husband and family to America; she
had lived in Racine for nine years and
later moved to Kenosha. Here she was
known as most Industrious woman
and one who strove against odds to
support her family. She had worked
at the Hannahs plant for several
years and was we'll known among the
women employees Of the company.
Coroner Parker announced that an
inquest into the death would be held
on Thursday afternoon at the munich
pal court room. No definite arrange
ment regarding the funeral services
have vet heen made