Charles F. Thede 1889-1912

THEDE, SCHMIDT, HAGGE

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 8/10/2016 at 15:15:15

19 January 1912 - The Lowden News

Another fatal accident occurred on Main street railroad crossing here early Saturday morning at 2:30 in which Charles F. Thede, a young man only a little over 22 years old, was killed by a fast train.

As we understand it, a section of train No. 12 going east had just passed the crossing and another section of the same train number was taking coal at the coal shoot when No. 9 going west came dashing across. The gateman had lowered the south gate and says that he was trying to lower the north gate which worked hard, and young Thede thought, perhaps, that the gate was rising. Two teams had just crossed going south on their way home from town and young Thede with a horse and cutter, was following the same way. The north gates being open and he not seeing No. 9 coming, he drove right ahead, when he was almost over the south main track, No 9 came crashing through and struck the unfortunate man. The horse broke through the gate taking the sled with it. The horse was not hurt any; it ran home to F. H. Hartwig's, five miles southeast of Lowden, where young Thede was working. The sled had the seat knocked off and was broken some at the rear ***
***young man about 50 feet. His entire left side and particularly hip and thigh, was badly bruised. He had a compound fracture of the left arm, a bone protruding three inches, and he had a depressing fracture of the frontal bone of the skull. When found a few moments after the accident occurred he was conscious and remained so nearly to the end, suffering considerable pain, he died two hours after the accident occurred.

Coroner Alex McCormick was called from Tipton; on his arrival he held the inquest and summoned as jurors Chas. Heiner, P. L. Petersen and Wm. Koch, who after examination of witnesses returned the following finding:
"Lowden, Iowa, January 13, 1912. We, the undersigned jurors in the coroner's inquest held at the Town Hall at Lowden, Iowa, over the body of Charles Thede, lying dead at the Richmann undertaking parlors, Lowden, Iowa, do find that the said Thede, deceased, came to his death, by being struck by fast train No. 9, west bound, about 2:30 a.m. Jan. 13, 1912, at Main street crossing where the gates of the C. & N. W. R. R. Co. are located. The evidence given prove that the south gates were closed and the north gates were open or partly so; no signals were given; that the north gates always work hard."

Charles F. Thede was born near Lowden on September 23, 1889. He was a fine young man; everyone who knew him liked him. He had attended a dance here Friday night where there was a happy gathering and he has spent a most pleasant evening. In going home he met death. There survive to mourn his untimely death his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thede, of Davenport, his sister, Mrs. Chaus Hagge, of near Bennett, his brother Harry Thede, of near Lowden and his grandmother, Mrs. H. Schmidt of Davenport, and many other near relatives. It is a hard blow on the bereaved family and the sympathy of the whole community is with them.

The remains of Charles were taken after the inquest to the home of his brother, Harry Thede, and family. Funeral services were held here Monday afternoon with services in the Evangelical church at Lowden. Rev. Werning conducted the services. The pall bearers were Henry Strackbein, Fred Von Roden Jr., August Plate, Walter Baade, George Strackbein and John Strackbein. The manner of death and the high standing of the deceased and of the members of the family to whom he belongs, brought a great gathering to the funeral services, so large as has been seldom seen here. The floral tributes were very beautiful and a great many. The remains were taken from here to Wheatland and thence per train to Davenport for burial. At Davenport the funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, from the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Henry G. Schmidt, 2125 Rockingham road. Interment was made in Fairmount cemetery. The six young men named above, who were the pallbearers at Lowden, were also the pallbearers at Davenport Wednesday.

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