Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-10-23
DECERSTROM
LAID TO REST
Pine County Sheriff Loses
Life in Auto Accident
Saturday.
Largely Attended Funeral
Held at ASkOv Church
Wednesday.

The funeral of Fred Degerstrom,
Pine county sheriff, who was acct
dentally killed in an automobile &C
cident Saturday night, was held from
the Danish Lutheran church at Askov
yesterday afternoon and interment
was made in the Vilstad Swedish
Lutheran cemetery midway between
ASkov and Bruno. 1t was very
largely attended funeral, folks coming
here from all parts of Pine county
and more distant points.
The Accident.
Mr.. Degerstrom had come to his
home 80 miles north of Askov, late
Saturday afternoon TO spend a few
hours with his family, being up from
Pine City on official duties to serve
some papers in northern Pine county
and to call at a dance hall Leaving
the home, he drove to Rutledge where
he transacted official business and
then drove south On the pavement
Highway No. toward Pine City.
When about two miles south of Rut-
ledge his Buick coach collided with
a Graham Bros. truck that was haul
ing cream. Mr.. Degerstrom was alone
in his car and the truck was occupied
by Abel Engman who was also alone
in his machine 1t was cold and
stormy night and the wind was strong
enough to sway an automobile as was
testified to in the inquest held in
Sandstone Monday afternoon.
The truck rack was seven feet and
six inches wide. From the appear
ance of the truck, the Degerstrom
Buick struck the corner of the rack,
having passed the front of the truck.
The impact threw the Buick car
against the truck tearing off its left
fender and ripping the corner Of the
rack. Outside of that the truck was
not damaged and the driver escaped
with a severe shake-up. Mr. Deger-
strom was killed instantly, being
struck over the forehead evidently by
the top of the car, causing hemor-
rhage of the brain The top of his
Buick car was entirely torn off as
was also the front wheel. The car
is in a terrible condition.
The accident happened about $50
p. m, and the first automobile to
come along hurried TO Sandstone to
get authorities, having noted that Mr.
Degerstrom was dead and nothing
could be done for him. Senator
Adolph S. Larson, J. F. Hawley, and
r. w Barstow hurried to the scene
Immediately. In the meantime Dr.
w. c. Ehmke of Willow River. had
also arrived The body was removed
TO the Larson Bros. Undertaking par
lors at Sandstone, and there prepared
for burial, and the sad message was
conveyed TO his family near Askov
the same evening.
The truck driver, Abel Engman,
lives at Lond Siding. miles from
Princeton, where he conducts an oil
station and buys cream. He was SUBJ
stituting on the truck and il was his
first trip. Cream was being hauled
to the Bridgeman-Russell Co. at Du-
luth, and the Russell Creamery Co.
at Superior Mr.. Engman is a mar
ried man and has ten children. 1t
was a Ia ton truck that he drove.
Inquest Conducted.
County Attorney NJ. B. Hurley and
Coroner w. p. Gottry, both of Pine
City, conducted an inquest in the viii
lage hall at Sandstone Monday after
noon. Following were members of the
jury: Chris Rudisuhle. E. F. Nielsen.
Perry Edin, Gust Gjertson, Albert Lar
son. and Carl Gjertson. The findings
of the jury was to the effect that il
was an unavoidable accident and that
no blame is attached TO anyone.
Born i'm Sweden.
Fred Olof DegerStrom was born at
Jantland. Stugun. Sweden. on Sept. il.
1873. so was a little past the age of
So at the time of his demise He
grew 10 manhood in his native coua-
try and came TO America and TO Pine
county as a young man in 1892, his
parents coming over two eyars later.
Mr.. Degerstrom was married TO
Miss Selma Lillion on May .. 1905.
at Athens in Isanti county. The first
two years Of their married life were
spent in Minneapolis where Mr. Deg
erStrom worked al his trade as car
pae-