Waters, Maxwell Mervin -- 1906 - 1930

WATERS, VAN WEY

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/25/2004 at 11:07:11

Max Waters Met Death in Collision With Auto. Another tragedy of the highway occurred in Allamakee county last Sunday night over near Church in which Max Waters, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Callie Waters of Waukon, was almost instantly killed when the motorcycle which he was riding collided head-on with an auto occupied by Editor and Mrs. Fred Bierman of the Decorah Journal, a Mr. McAndrews and another lady, also of Decorah, McAndrews being the driver of the car. As near as we have been able to glean the story from various sources the facts seem to be substantially as follows: The Decorah people were returning from a trip to Lansing and were headed, homeward on highway No. 9 and upon reaching a point about one mile this side of the village of Church. close by a little rural, cemetery, they collided head-on with Max Waters, who was headed toward Lansing, and riding a motorcycle without any lights whatever displayed on his machine, and it is related also that the auto was not on its own side of the road at the time. As is likely, both vehicles were being driven at a reasonably high speed and they came together with terrific force, the motorcycle being fearfully wrecked and its rider hurled some distance and horribly hurt, being cut above the head, shoulders and other portions of his body, from which he bled profusely and his neck was also broken. The car suffered some minor damages from being thrown from the highway into the ditch, but none of the occupants were injured to speak of. They at once went to the aid of the injured boy, rendered such aid as they were able to, got their car back into the road, it being still able travel under its own power, took Max in and headed for Waukon and the hospital but before they reached the city Max had breathed his last. The proper officials were at once notified and a coroner's inquest held forthwith, the verdict of the jury being that deceased came to his death through loss of blood and a broken neck and criminal negligence. Max Waters was a fine young man, in every way, a good worker, good natured and the mainstay and assistant of his father in his work of crushing rock for highway purposes. He was well known in Postville, as until a short time ago the family were residents of the Frankville locality and were frequent visitors in Postville. About eleven o'clock Sunday night Undertaker Louis Schutte of this city was called to Waukon to take charge of the body and prepare it for burial, Mr. Schutte going over at once and bringing the body here to his undertaking rooms. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the Community church in Frankville, following which interment was made in the Frankville cemetery.

Submitter's Note: Maxwell Merwin Waters was the son of Calvin Waters and Edith Van Wey

©Postville Herald, Thursday. April 17, 1930