The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-09-20
FAMILY OF 7 DIE IN
CROSSING ACCIDENT
Terrible Tragedy Occurred on
Northern Pacific Tracks
Near Rice Sept. IL
CROSSING WAS CLEAR
Bodies Strewn Three Hundred
Feet Along Right of Way
Funeral Saturday

st. Cloud, Sept. 13.-An entire
family-father, mother and tlve
children, were instantly killed Wed
nesday night, three miles north OF
Rice, when the automobile in
which they were riding was struck
by northbound Northern Pacific
passenger train No. IL.
The dead are: John Morgel, 29,
farmer living near st. Wendell
MRS. John Morgel, "a, his wife
and their five small children, Alois
5, Veronica 4, Sophia 3, Gertrude
2 and a baby girl four months
old.
Relatives today were at the I'M
-dertaking establishment at Rice to
make funeral arrangements. The
funeral will be held at st. Anne
Saturday morning, with burial in
the st. Anne cemetery.
The tragedy, which occurred
about $50 p. m. Wednesday night,
was at a grade crossing with the
view unobstructed for a mile or
more in each direction. The only
theory for the accident, which
could be advanced today, was that
on account of heavy fog last
night, Morgel may not have seen
the oncoming flier, or seeing it,
may have misjudged the distance
through the fog.
The bodies and the wreckage of
the car were strewn along the
railroad right of-way for 300 feet,
witnesses said. All seven victims
were dead when members of the
train crew, the first to reach them,
arrived.
DIR. William Friesleben, coroner
OF Benton county, will make no
inquest in the case, indicating his
belief that it was simply an acct
dent, and that the train crew was
not to blame. County Attorney
Harry Burns, with DIR. Friesleben,
were to go to the accident scene
this afternoon to establish distances
and to talk to persons who arrived
at the crossing Immediately after
the crash.
The Morgel family had rented a
farm home northwest of Rice this
spring, moving there from the COM
nunity between Avon and st. Wen
del, where they were well-known.
They had been married but six
years, according to neighbors and
friends.
There were no witnesses to the
tragedy with the possible exception
of the train crew which was hur-
NED along after reporting the mis-
hap to authorities. One of the crew
was left with the bodies until the
arrival of DR.. William Friesleben,
Benton county coroner, but he had
not seen the car prior to the crash.
DR.. Friesleben viewed the bodies
at the scene of the accident and
ordered them moved to the J. M.
Kramer undertaking establishment
at Rice. He will ask no inquest,
he said. Circumstances learned last
night during the examination of
the bodies and the examination
near the crossing will he turned
over to County Attorney Harry
Burns, who may wish to question
members of the train crew but the
coroner's office will take no further
steps, DR.. Friesleben announced
early this morning upon his re-
turn to Sank Rapids.
According to neighbors the Nor
gel family had gone to Royalton
early in the evening and were ap-
parently returning to their home
near Rice when they were struck
by the train.
The grade crossing where the
fatal crash occurred is situated
about three blocks west of state
highway No. 8, leading into Roy
alton. There is an unobstructed
view in each direction for a long
distance, according to DIR. Friesle-
ben, and no reason for the mishap
could be given by that official last
night.