TRIO KILLED WHEN TRAIN HITS SEDAN - Dec. 24, 1921

HUMPHREY, DENNY, MATHEWS, TURNER, PRUGH

Posted By: deb (email)
Date: 1/17/2008 at 13:08:53

The Burlington Hawkeye, Saturday Morning, December 24, 1921, page 1

TRIO KILLED WHEN TRAIN HITS SEDAN

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Clarence Humphrey and James Denny Dead - Ruth Mathews Dies in Hospital

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Clarence Humphrey, aged 45, and James Denny, aged 25, were instantly killed and Miss Ruth Mathews, aged 19, was fatally injured about 5 o'clock Friday afternoon when the Ford sedan in which they were riding was struck by the Burlington fast passenger train No. 6 at the crossing east of the stock yards at Danville. Miss Mathews died at 9:30 Friday night at the Burlington hospital.

The train was over an hour late and was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck the automobile, squarely in the middle, tearing it to pieces and hurling the occupants may feet. One of the men was thrown about twenty feet in the air according to an eye witness. Miss Mathews was thrown down the track a distance of eighty feet and received her worst injuries in the head. She was unconscious when picked up and remained so until her death.

Brought to Burlington
Engineer C.E. Turner stopped his train and brought Miss Mathews with her father to Burlington where she was taken to the Burlington hospital. The bodies of the two men also were brought to Burlington on the train where Coroner Prugh took charge of them.

Was An Only Child
Miss Mathews was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Mathews of Danville. She was a teacher at the Blue school house in Pleasant Grove township four miles north of Danville, this being her first year as teacher. She was boarding with Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey near the school house and always went home Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with her parents. Mr. Humphrey was going to meet his two children, students in the Burlington high school and who went home for the holidays. He was taking Miss Mathews and Mr. Denny, a neighbor to Danville with him.

Did Not See Train

Altho it is said that the train whistled as it sped through Danville, Mr. Humphrey evidently did not hear it, and did not see the train coming as the dark was dark and foggy and the windshield covered with mist. Mr. Mathews was waiting for his daughter and was a witness to the tragedy which leaves his home childless.

Families are Prominent

The families of all three victims are prominent in Des Moines county. Howard Mathews, uncle of the dead girl, was for many years county superintendent of schools, and another uncle, William Mathews, takes office as county supervisor in January. The five Mathews brothers and one sister always have a family reunion at Christmas with their mother in Danville. This pleasant custom will be abandoned this year for the first time.

Mr. Humphrey is survived by his widow and two children, Mr. Denny lived on a farm near New London and was unmarried.

The bodies of the three victims of the accident will be taken to Danville today. It is not known yet whether there will be an inquest.