The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-04-21
Four Lives
Snuffed Out
In Collision
Terrible Tragedy Four Miles
East of This City Early
Saturday Morning
COMMUNITY SHOCKED
Miss Olga Holmberg, of This
City, Victim-Flames Con-
sumo Bodies
COMMUNITY SHOCKED

The lives of four young people
well known in this city and Mel
rose, tragically terminated in the
twinkling of an eye early Saturday
morning.
The young folks had attended a
dance given by the "M'' Club of the
Melrose Public school Friday even
ing. Shortly after 100 a. m. a
light Ford truck, the cab contain.
ing Frederick Haider, driver, Ro-
man Weisser, Mrs. Evaline Weitzel,
all of Melrose, and Miss Olga
Holmberg, Of this city, left the
dance for Sank Centre, the purpose
being to bring the ladies to this
city where they would spend the
night.
The journey proceeded in a lei
surely manner until the Ford load
ed with human freight reached a
point about half way between the
two cities, when, without warning
they collided with the rear of a
sub-trailer of one of Raymond
Bros. trucks. The light truck was
travelling west.
The trailer body was high
enough off the ground to permit
the Ford to run under it until the
gas tank was split. Immediately
the Ford was in flames and the
bodies of the victims were burned
beyond recognition before the
truck was backed away from the
sub-trailer.
The presumption is that the force
of the collision killed the occupants
of the cab, or rendered them uncon-
cious so that they did not suffer
from the remorseless flames which
consumed them.
There have been many conflict
ing reports as to just how the trag-
edy happened. The newspaper
stories published have not cor
roborated. All have been inaccur-
ate.
Monday the Herald was FORUM
ate enough to meet up with the
second man reaching the scene of
the accident, Charles Kortan, a
we'll known, reliable farmer, resid-
ing opposite to the north from where
the accident occurred on Highway
No. 8.
Before proceeding with Mr.. Kor-
tan's version. Tests have been made
which indicate that it would be
almost impossible for car coming
over and driving down the hill east
of where the accident occurred, to
get a clear view of truck without
lights, parked on the right hand
side of the highway.
It was about 1:45 a. m. Satur-
day morning when the accident
occurred.
According to Mr.. Kortan The
Dwyer young people were return
ing fom a dance at the Progressive
Farmers Club House. Noticing
that a truck was having trouble
making the hill east of where the
pavement turns north at the corn
er of the Walker farm, Tom got
out of the car and told his brothers
and sisters he would walk to the
home about three quarters of a
mile distant, and not to wait Tor
him. After watching the heavily
loaded truck, trailer and sub-trailer
make the grade with the assistance
of a truck at the rear, he started
for home, noticing trailer and
sub trailer parked on the right hand
side of the road.
In this connection it is under
stood that Mr.. Dwyer states that
he did not notice any warning
flares buring back of the parked
trailers. There were not any warn
ing lights on the trailer Mr.. Kortan
claims.
When a short distance beyond
the trailers Mr.. Dwyer met small
truck driving toward Sank Centre.
A moment later he was startled to
hear the sound of collision and
was Mortified to note that the small
truck had collided with the rear end
of the sub-trailer and that the
small truck Immediately was in
flames.
CONTINUED on Page Four)