The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-09-20

81 can not see any reason for
Morgels driving into the path of
the arain," DR.. Friesleben said.
''The view is good in both direc-
tions and any driver could have
seen the approaching train with
ease. / do not see why he did not
bring his car to a stop"
1t is not known whether the car
stalled on the crossing when Nor
gel attempted to beat the train,
whether he misjudged the distance
in the darkness or whether he fail
ed to see the oncoming engine and
drove his machine directly into the
path of it. Several theories have
been advanced, one that the car
was equipped with side curtains. A
search of the ruins of the machine
which was spread over a distance
of some 800 feet along the right
of way by the terrific impact, fail
ed to reveal any evidence of cur
tains. The car was badly demol-
ished that it would have been i'm
possible to find curtains, according
to several who visited the scene i'm
mediately after the accident.
The bodies were not badly mang-
led, DR.. Friesleben stated this
morning, it is believed that Alois
undoubtedly died with a fractured
skull but there are no marks of
violence on any of the other occu-
pants of the machine. All of the
bodies revealed many broken bones
an examination revealed, but it is
the opinion of the Benton county
coroner that at least six of the sew
en- died of internal injuries re-
ceived in the impact. The bodies
were picked up along the right of
way for a distance of some 800
feet from the grade crossing where
their car had been struck, witness
es asserted last night.
The train which struck the Nor
gel car was local passenger, due
in st. Cloud at $40 p. m. 1t was a
few minutes late last night how
ever. 1t is estimated that the acct
dent occurred at about 9:20. The
train was probably making a speed
of between 40 and As miles an
hour at the point of the accident,
it is believed by people who have
had occasion to watch it repeated
ly.
The grade crossing is marked by
"a "stop" sign, railway authorities
said this morning, and they were
at loss as to how Morgel could
have failed to pay heed to this
sign, crossing at this point many
times during the past few months
when he resided on the west side
of the Northern Pacific right of
way. He must have known, neigh
bors say, that a passenger train
was due through there at about the
time he was crossing. s..-
Attracted by the crash and the
screening of brakes on the train,
tourists passing on highway No.
3 were drawn to witness the trag-
eiy. Soon thousands of people Were
at the place, many attracted when
a call was placed in Rice for DR..
Friesleben.
The bodies were removed to the
J. M. Kramer undertaking estab-
lishment at Rice at about midnight
after the coroner had conducted
his investigation, and it was an
nounced that there would be no
inquest. DR.. Friesleben was salts
fled that the train crew was blame
less.
Mr.. tMorgel is a son of Mr.. and
Mrs. John Morgel, prominent pio-
neers of st. Anne, north of Avon.
He is survived by four brothers,
Joseph, whose whereabouts is I'M
known; Ignatius, of Detroit, Mich.
Frank, of Avon; and Stanley, of
Holdingford, and three sisters,
Mary Loretta, of Rice; Mrs. Frank
Plachecki, of st. Cloud and Lu-
ellie of Fargo.
Mrs. Morgels' maiden name was
Chapp. Her father and mother,