The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-08-20
FIVE KILLED BY
RED LODGE TRAIN
Horrible Accident When Driver Tries
To Beat Train at Crossing Near
Billings Friday.

Mrs. Henry Lackman, go. of Hes
per; her son, Jake ackman, 25; her
daughter, Mrs. George Zier, 40, of
Sheridan, Wyoming, and Henry Miller,
rs, also of Sheridan were killed and
Dave Zier, son of Mrs. Zier, later died
of burns, as the result of a railrrad
crossing crash at the Central Park
crossing west of Billings, when car
which they were driving was struck
by the Red Lodge train going to Bill
ings at 5:15 o'clock Tuesday after
noon.
How the tragedy occurred nobody
seemed definitely to know. Apparent
ly the party did not observe the train
or took chances and started to cross
the tracks. The engineer and firemen
could not tell either how it happened,
except that the automobile struck
the smoker car. Fro mthis impact the
automobile was overturned and burst
into flames.
w. A. Collins of Laurel, L. r. Vick-
&rs and several witnesses Of the crash
rushed to the rescue. They dragged
one dying man out from under the
wreck, screaming: Kill me! Kill me!''
He was terribly burned.
One of the boys was picked up
standing over one of the women,
screaming, Mother, mother'
The woman had gaping hole in
her head.
The boys surviving were rushed to
the hospital in one of the cars at hand.
Zier died at the hospital three hours
after the tragedy. His brother is seri-
ously injured.
Jacob Lackman was driving the car,
and according to Willie Zier, the only
survivor Of the party, was talking to
the others in the rear seat at the time
of the accident, and did not see the
train. They were coming from the
Lacknan farm into Billings at the
time to buy some groceries. Mrs.
szier and her son and Miller, close
friend of the Lackmans and the zier
family were guests at the Henry Lack
home and had as well been visiting
with other friends and relatives in the
neighborhood.
Almost simultaneously with being
struck the automobile burst into
flames, which spread istantly to the
clothing Of the dead and shrieking
injured.
Mr.. and Mrs. j. L. Vickers sitting in
their car at the crossing waiting for
the train to pass, said the auto was
going from 20 to % miles an hour
drove into the crossing, was hit by
the engine pilot, turned part way
round and thrown under the smoking
car of the train, where 1t burst into
flames.
Funeral services for five victims
was held from the First Methodist
n Tuesday afternoon at o'clock.
"A common grave in Mountview
cemetery will receive the bodies of Mrs.
Henry c. Lackman, her two children,
Mrs. George Zier and Jake Lackman,
and Mrs. Zeir's son David Zier. The
body of George Miller will be taken
to Manchester, Wyoming for burial.
Never have last rites been said over
the bodies Of so many eople in the
city Of Billings at one funeral. Rela-
ives continued to arrive Sunday. The
Lackman and Zier families are widely
known among the Rsuuian- German
people of this section and hundreds
attended the funeral. Offer of the
Methodist church for the funeral was
made by the pastor, the Rev. George
u Wolfe, to accommodate the large
number who were present.
The condition of William Zier, the
year-old son Of Mrs. Zier, who is
the only survivor Of the tragedy, is
said to be somewhat better. His
nurse at st. Vincent's hospital said
Sunday evening that hee seemed much
brighter during the day and that there
have been no unfavorabIe develop
ments. He asked for some playthings
during the day and also asked to see
an aunt who came here from Sheridan,
Mr.. and Mrs. Tom Updegraff ac-
companied by their son Floyd, were
Fromberg visitors Saturday and Sun