Hagen, William Frederick "Bill" 1890-1939

HAGEN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 3/18/2014 at 14:30:55

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
March 13, 1939

WM. F. HAGEN
MEETS DEATH
BENEATH CAR
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Looking for Stranded Car
In Fog Early Saturday
Morning

W.F. "Bill" Hagen, 48, was the second person to lose his life near Grinnell last weekend, the indirect victim of a highway accident on No. 6. He was struck down by a car driven by Vernon Anderson, young farmer of Kellogg, and died before the ambulance which had been summoned could rush him to a hospital.

The accident occurred two and a half miles west of town about 2 o'clock Saturday morning after Bill had received a call for tow-car service. As he approached Shady Grove tourist camp he saw a car stalled on the shoulder at the south side of the road. Thinking it the car he was to assist, the garage man stopped to speak to Orvis Schlotterbeck, driver of the car, and Ralph Weideman, who was also in the auto.

As Hagen talked to Weideman at the edge of the highway, Anderson came toward them from the west. Weideman, seeing a collision was going to occur, leaped from the car into the ditch, but Hagen was struck as Anderson's machine side-swiped Schlotterbeck's car and then bounced across the road into the tow-car. Schlotterbeck, in the front seat, was knocked unconscious by the impact, but was not hurt.

Snyders' ambulance was called, but Mr. Hagen was already dead when the doctor examined him as soon as the ambulance reached town.

Anderson reports he was not traveling at a high rate of speed, but the heavy fog made it difficult to tell the actual positions of the tow-car and Schlotterbeck's auto, parked on either side of the road, and Anderson swerved too far to the south in his effort to miss the garage truck. Schlotterbeck had run out of gas, leaving him stranded, but it had not been he who called the garage for aid.

Last rites for Mr. Hagen were conducted by Rev. Charles R. Rowe at the Methodist church this afternoon at 3 o'clock, followed by burial at Hazelwood cemetery. Legion buddies of Mr. Hagen served as pallbearers.
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Find A Grave Memorial #103136408