The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-05-28
Auto Tragedy
Takes Life OF
Libby Woman
Mrs. w. +. Kienitz Killed
When Car Crashes Against
Concrete Bridge.
OTHERS INJURED
BUT NOT FATALLY

W. F. Kienitz and Mr. and Mrs. Angus
f. Wichman Of this city ended il
tragedy last Thursday when an &C.
cident near Ray, N. D., took the life O
Mrs. Kienitz, she dying Friday after
noon. Death was due to internal in.
ju-ies sustained when their car crashed
into the concrete railing of a small
bridge.
Details Of the tragedy were brought IL
Libby Tuesday night by Mr.. and Mrs
James Christie, who happened to Learn
of the accident while on their way home
from the middle west and who looked
up Mr.. Kienitz and Mr.. and Mrs. Wich-
man in Williston. According to Mr.
Christle's report, Mr.. and Mrs. Wich-
man were in the front seat, Mr. Wich-
man driving, with Mr.. and Mrs. Kienit7
in the rear seat Wichman reached
back of him for something when the
car ran off the side of the highway
Swinging the car back onto the high
way Wichman saw a bridge i'm
mediately ahead, with the car heading
for the far-side railing. Jerking the
front of the car to the right to miss the
railing, the rear of the auto was whip
ped sharply to the left, crashing against
the railing
Mr.. and Mrs Kienitz were hurled
with terrific impact against the side of
the car and both knocked unconscious
Wichman asked If either had been hurt
and receiving no reply got out and welt
to their assistance. Mr. Kienitz came
to and started to get out of the car but
partially collapsed and had to be
helped. A passing car almost i'm
mediately took them into hospital at
Ray.
Further details of the accident are
+old by the Minot Daily News as fol-
-lows:
Local Newspaper Account
RAY, N. D. May 23.-Mrs. w. F,
Kienitz, 50, of Libby, Mont, died at a
hospital here Friday afternoon of in
juries suffered when an automobile in
! which she and three others were riding
crashed into concrete bridge one and
one-haf miles north and east of here.
Two of the other three persons were
injured in the accident.
Mrs. Kienitz died of internal injuries
in the region of her chest, spine and
pelvis No bones were broken
Her body, now at the Everson nn-
dertaking parlors in Williston, will be
taken for funeral and burial to Peter
son, Iowa, accompanied by her hus-
band, who was one of the injured, and
two daughters from Pullman, Wash.
The daughters came today from the
west. They and their father will leave
for Minnesota tomorrow.
MIR. Kientiz suffered a dislocation of
the left shoulder, fracture of the left
collarbone, and two rib fractures on the
right side. Heels up and around today.
The driver of the car, A. f. Wichman,
escaped with only two ribs broken, and
his wife, who sat beside him in the
front seat of the car was unhurt
The accident happened after Wich-
man, while driving, turned and reached
back Of the seat for something. He lost
,Acontrol of the car at this moment, and
the crash against the bridge followed
The car was badly damaged Passersby
brought the injured to the Ray hos :
pital. The crash occurred Thursday
afternoon.
The Kienitzes and the Wichmans
Me-e on their way from Libby to Chip
pewa Falls, Wis, when the accident
happened.
Mrs. Kienitz lived almost exactly "a
hours after the accident, dying Friday
afternoon She was only semi-con-
scious and it is thought tried to talk to
Mr.. Kienitz but did not.
I News of the accident was first
brought to Libby by telegram to H
c. Brinton, brother of Mrs. Kienitz
He left for the east on the Friday noon
train, joining the two daughters of Mrs
Kienitz on the train here, who were
called by the tragedy from their studies
at the Washington State. College
Pullman.
The tragic news came as shock to
the people Of Libby, where Mrs Kienit7
had long been prominent figure IN
community life. Mrs Kienitz came
here as a young woman in 1903 as first
principal of the grade school. She
taught until 1912 when on June l she
was married to w. F. Kienitz at the
Christian church in Spokane. To them
two daughters were born, Isabel anc
" Jean, both students now at Washington
State College, Pullman
Mrs. Kienitz had served her COM
munity as school trustee for num-
Der Of years. She was also president O
the Libby Woman's club for term
and was member of the local chaptel
of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Kienitz wa
also prominent in the social life OF thu
community.
Hester Blanche Brinton was horn a
Brighton, Iowa, on October 7, 1885, ans
died at Ray, N. d., on Friday, May q
She is survived by the sorrowing hus
land and two daughters, Isabel ant
JEAN. also by her mother, Mrs. Heste
I Brinton, and a brother, Harry Brinton
both Of Libby; by two Other brothers
Eugene Of Chicago and Ray of De