The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-07-24
Tell Of New Angle in Death
of Max SchOenfeld in
Auto Crash.
HAD CHANGED DRIVERS
Two Miles Before Scene of Ac-
cident Companion Gave the
Wheel to Schoenfeld.

A new angle in the tragic death of
Max Schoenfeld, Kenosha fruit deal
er, on Tuesday evening was brought
to light today. Schoenfeld was killed
when a truck loaded with fruit in
which he and a companion, Harry
Wise, were riding was struck. by a
northbound 500 line train three miles
south of the village of Antioch at
the Lake Villa crossing of highway FL
Wise, a business associate of Scho-
enfield in the Antioch Produce COM
pany at Antioch, escaped with his
life when moment before the crash
he was able to jump clear of the
tracks just as the flying train bore
down on the rear of the Ford truck
Wise was dazed by the jump and the
Fsuddenness of the accident when the
shrieks of the grinding brakes of the
hating train brought him to his
senses, ran fifty feet up the track to
which place the truck had beens drag
ged by the engine of the train, and
tried to pull his companion out from
under the wreckage. Upon sight of tbs
horribly mangled body and the blood
pouring out in spurts from every part
of the remains, Wise became hysteri-
cal, and from that moment on he has
been in state of coma. AS soon as
the train crew came around to sur
vey the latest victim of the unguardec
crossing, Wise bolted up the highway
in the direction of Antioch and fol
three miles he ran calling at the tor
Of his voice, according to witness
"Molly, oh poor Molly!" Molly is the
name Of Schoenfeld's wife. At Antioch
friends succeeded in calming the ex-
cited man and physician was callec
to attend him.
Had Just Changed Drivers.
Wise is still under the care of 6
physician at Antioch and when the
funeral of his lifelong friend was
held from the Mischler Funeral home
at Kenosha on Wednesday afternoon
he was not allowed to attend.
For a short time this morning, Wise
was able to talk about the affair. He
told of the purchasing of truck
load of fruit in Chicago by the two
partners and of their departure fol
Antioch. About two miles south of the
scene of the accident, Schoenfeld
asked Wise to let him take the wheel
believing that the long drive from
Chicago had fatigued his partner. The
truck was brought to halt and Wise
got off a moment to stretch his tired
limbs. Then the pair started on their
last lap of the home trip. Ten min
utes later Schoenfeld was dead and
Wise was wildly running into Antioch
with his mind in q daze. Physicians
at Antioch stated today that Wise
would be able to testify this evening
at the coroner's inquest which has
been called for seven O'clock by
Deputy Coroner Edward Conrad Of
Waukegan.
A coroner's jury has already been
sworn with Frank T. Fowler, lead
ing citizen of Lake Villa, as foreman
The other members are: George
Macradie, Albert T. Kapple, William
Walker and Fred Burke, all of Lake
Villa, and William Wedge of Antioch
The ire Of Fowler was thoroughly
aroused by the tragedy and he de-
clared today in no uncertain terms
that the jury proposed to ascertain
the reason for the crossing north of
Lake Villa being left unprotected. He
charged that the 500 Line and state
officials have been passing the buck
relative to furnishing protection at
this crossing for two years and that
it was time that blame for the loss
of this life and the jeopardizing of
another be fixed.
''The 500 Line has been antago-
nistie to the villages of Lake Villa
and Antioch for two years, operating
trains through the villages at terrific
speed and leaving three dangerous
crossings which are passed by thous-
ands of cars without protection" he
declared.
Foreman Fowler also said that he
has asked Deputy Coroner Conrad to
notify railroad officials, state officials,
and County Surveyor Charles Russell
of Waukegan, to attend the inquest so
that the jury will be in position to
fix the blame for the crossing not
being protected.