Iowa Old Press
The Sioux County Index
Hull, Sioux co. Iowa
March 15, 1933
Former Hull People killed by fast train
Grade Crossing Accident Takes Lives of Three Former Hull and Injured Another
Three former Hull people were killed outright and another was injured seriously early Sunday when the automobile in which they were riding was struck by an inbound Chicago and Northwestern passenger train at 28th street and Floyd avenue, at Sioux City.
The dead are: Eugene P. Murphy, 28 years old, a salesman, living at 1213 Fourteenth street; Mrs. Marguerite Murphy, 25 years old, wife of Mr. Murphy and sister of Dale Shaffer; Dale Shaffer, 40 years old, 2701 Adel street, a laborer.
Mrs. Zella Shaffer, 31 years old, the wife of Dale Shaffer, suffered serious injuries. She was formerly Miss Zella Spinden, and a sister of Mrs. Grandus Vander Vliet of south Hull.
The accident occurred shortly after 3:30 o’clock Sunday morning when the party was returning to the Shaffer home. Mr. Murphy, driver of the automobile, apparently became confused by a switch engine, which was standing in the railroad yard and did not see the speeding passenger train as it approached the crossing. The Shaffer home is about two blocks from the scene of the tragedy.
The locomotive struck the automobile, a light median, broadside, dragged the car nearly one hundred feet and then hurled it into a ditch fifty feet from the rails. The automobile was demolished.
The bodies of Mr. Murphy and his wife were found beside the wrecked automobile. Shaffer’s body was found fifty feet from the automobile and Mrs. Shaffer was lying across the wrecked car when trainmen came to her assistance.
The two families had attended a special celebration at a friends home and Mr. and Mrs. Murphy were taking the Shaffer’s to the home when the crash occurred.
The death of Mr. and Mrs. Murphy leaves two daughters, Betty and an infant, homeless. Mr. Shaffer is survived by his injured widow and three children, Esta, Bobbie and Delores. Mr. Shaffer enlisted in the World War at Orange City, Iowa, February 25, 1918. He served overseas and returned to the United States, May 23, 1919, and was discharged June 1, 1919.
Mr. Murphy was born at Hull. He had been married eight years and was employed at the city desk at McKennon, Moore and Porterfield, wholesale druggist.
He is survived by two children, Betty and Patsty; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James P. Murphy of Sheldon; a brother. Dan of Sheldon and four sisters, Misses Anna and Julia Murphy of Sheldon, Mrs. Cecil Bundy of Sioux City, and Mrs. C.W. Keyes of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Another brother, James, died at Sheldon three weeks ago.
Mrs. Murphy was a sister of Mr. Shaffer. Bother were born at Hull. They are survived by their father, Alex Shaffer, of Omaha, Nebraska; three brothers, Grant and Stanley of Sheldon and Claude of Omaha; and by two sisters, Mrs. Freeman Merrill of Sheldon and Mrs. Albert Zimmerman of Chicago.
Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Murphy were held at Sheldon, Wednesday morning at 9 o’clock. Mr. Shaffer was buried at Sioux City Wednesday afternoon.
All the old time Hull friends surely extend sincere sympathy to the surviving relatives of the unfortunate victims.
[Transcriber Note: Zella Shaffer, the 4th victim, died in a Waterloo hospital a week after the accident]
[transcribed by Sheila Horton, g-niece of Eugene Murphy]
Hawarden Independent, Hawarden, Sioux, Iowa, USA THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1933
DEATH OF TWO IN ONE FAMILY
JOHN MUTH SR. AND GRANDSON PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK
Reaper Gathers Age and Youth Its Relentless Sweep.—Double Funeral Held
Monday
John Muth Sr., aged nearly 85 years, and his grandson, Lloyd Joseph Muth,
aged 3 years, passed away only 24 hours apart last week. The aged pioneer
died at his home in Hawarden at 10:30 Saturday morning after the death of
his grandson, which occurred at the Sacred Heart hospital in LeMars at 11:10
Friday morning. A double funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic church
in Hawarden at 10 o'clock Monday morning, with Rev. Fr. C. P. Conway
celebrating requiem high mass. Burial was in the Catholic cemetery. The
funeral was attended by an immense throng of relatives and friends.
John Muth was one of the pioneer settlers of Plymouth county, southeast of
Hawarden. He was born in Ohio and would have been 85 years of age had he
lived until April 8th. He came to Jackson county, Iowa, with his parents
when a child and moved on westward to Plymouth county more than 60 years
ago, where he located on a homestead, 11 miles southeast of Hawarden. His
parents joined him in Plymouth county a year later. On Feb. 22, 1879, he was
united in marriage with Elmira Willey at LeMars. They continued to make
their home on the farm until May, 1912, when they purchased a home in this
city and retired from active farm life. Mrs. Muth passed away Feb. 14, 1920.
Following Mrs. Muth's death, his youngest daughter, Mrs. Max Wilson,
continued to make a home for him here. Mr. Muth suffered a stroke about
fifteen years ago which resulted in his left arm being paralyzed. He
suffered several lighter strokes at various times later and my times his
life was almost despaired of but his rugged constitution and will power
enabled him to overcome these severe trials although each attack left him
somewhat weaker. He was bedfast for about eight weeks preceding his death
during which time he suffered, greatly.
He was the father of ten children, nine of whom survive him. One daughter,
Mrs. Lee Morey, passed away in Hawarden Aug. 14, 1932. The surviving
children are Henry, John, Thomas, William, Walter and Austin Muth and Mrs.
Max Wilson, all of Hawarden and vicinity; Melvin Muth of Sioux City, and
Mrs. Joe Lukens of LeMars. There are 35 grandchildren. He is also survived
by two brothers, Ed. Muth of Hawarden and Chas. Muth, who resides in New
York state. One brother, Henry Muth, died at Walla Walla, Wash., early in
January of this year.
Mr. Muth was of the rugged pioneer type and played an important part in the
development of the community where he cast his lot as a young man and
continued to reside until his retirement from, active life. He was a
successful farmer and accumulated extensive land holdings in Sioux and
Plymouth counties which enabled him to spend his declining years in comfort
and without financial worries. A man of the strictest integrity, he was ever
loyal and true to his friends and
there are many outside the family circle who sincerely mourn his death.
Lloyd Joseph Muth, whose death preceded that of his grandfather but one day,
was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Muth, residing 11 miles
southeast of Hawarden. His death came last Friday following an operation at
LeMars for a perforated appendix to which he had submitted
but four days earlier. Although everything possible was done for the little
lad, death was not to be denied. He was 3 years old on March 4th. Besides
his parents, he is survived by three brothers, Robert, Vincent and Walter,
and two sisters, Virginette and Maxine, and also his grandparents, Mr. and
Mrs. Nick Ney. Sincere sympathy is extended to the members of the grief
stricken family.