| Elgin Daily Courier---Elgin, Illinois---Monday, November 3, 1902 Terrible accident at Algonquin; Carriage with four occupants run down by fast milk train; Three youths killed instantly; Fourth brought to Sherman Hospital and Survives the night; Catastrophe happened at 8 o'clock Saturday evening. Victims are Frank and Lewis Schutte and Charles Wodrich of Algonquin and Joseph Wodrich, of Kilbourne, Wis. --Inquest will be held next Thursday. Running at an estimated speed of sixty-five miles an hour, a fast milk freight train on the Chicago & Northwestern road struck a two seated buggy at Algonquin about 8 o'clock Saturday night, killing three of the occupants out-right and wounding the fourth so badly that he died yes- terday morning at Sherman hospital. The dead are: Frank Schutte, Algonquin, aged 23 Lewis Schutte, Algonquin, aged 20 Charles Wodrich, Algonquin, aged 16 Joseph Wodrich, son of William Wodrich, Kilbourne, Wis. aged 16 The four young men hired a team from the Morton livery at the village where the accident took place and started for a drive to Dundee. They proceeded south on Main street and attempted to cross the railroad tracks east of the depot. A large warehouse concealed the approaching train from view and evidently the occupants of the buggy did not hear any warning from the locomotive, which bore down on them at a terrific speed. With a ( ? ) the vehicle was smashed to splinters and three of the young men were instantly killed. As soon as the accident became known, willing people rushed to the scene and started a search for the bodies. Joseph Wodrich was found first, his body lying next to the railroad track, about one hundred feet east of where the buggy was struck. His head was mangled and crushed and death must have been instantaneous. On the opposite side of the track and down the embankment was Lewis Schutte, who was alive when found. His side was crushed, but he lived during the night and died yesterday morning at Sherman hospital, this city. He was tenderly cared for and brought to Elgin on the train which caused the accident and taken from the depot to the hospital by the city ambulance. One hundred feet further down the track and approximately two hundred feet from where the buggy was struck was the body of Charles Wodrich. The top of one ear had been torn off, his head crushed and the body was mangled. In his case also death must have been instanta- neous. The body of Frank Schutte was found wedged into the pilot of the loco- motive and was extricated with considerable difficulty. He probably never knew what happened. Estimates of the speed of the train are based upon the awful impact and the fact that splinters of the carriage were found beyond the mile post this side of Algonquin. Traces of the terrible force with which the vehicle was struck are found more than a mile away and the buggy was converted into splinters. One horse was killed and the other so badly hurt that it had to be shot. A coroner's jury was summoned by Dr. Maxon of Harvard. Owing to the fact that the train crew could not be present at a hearing yesterday, the members of the jury viewed the bodies and next Thursday will hear testimony in regard to the accident. It is said that a warning whistle was sounded by the engineer of the train the other side of the deep cut through which the track runs just before reaching the depot, but that no warning was heard as the engine ap- proached the platform. The town marshal was standing near the depot, but did not see the accident, nor did the occupants of a carriage which was fol- lowing closely after the ill-fated one. In fact, it all took place so quickly that it is believed none actually witnessed the sad affair. Algonquin has been horror stricken since the catastrophe. The dead youths are well known in the village and vicinity and bear good reputations. The two Schutte boys are sons of a prosperous farmer living about four miles from town and the family is stricken by their double loss. The father of Charles Wodrich died about a month or six weeks ago. He was also a farmer, owning property near the village. Joseph Wodrich, whose parents live in Kilbourne, Wis., was visiting his cousin Charles. He was the youngest of the ill-fated quartet. The body will bw taken to the home in Kilbourne for burial. The funeral of all the victims of the accident will be held at Algonquin next Tuesday at 10 o"clock. The train which struck the buggy collected bottled milk along the Northwestern road between Genoa Junction and Elgin, passing through here, about 9 o'clock. When it reached Elgin Saturday night, the nature of the accident was apparent from the front of the locomotive, which was spattered with blood, even as high as the headlight. Because Lewis Schutte died in Kane county, it was neccesary for another jury to pass on the case. Accordingly, the coroner selected the following jurymen from Elgin: Messrs, John Brown; S.E. McMillen; Geo. Young; Geo. Allen; J. Lewis; J. Kelley. They went to Algonquin on an afternoon train and viewed the scene of the accident. Previous to going there they heard the testimony of the fireman, engineer, trained nurse, brakeman and last of all a Chicago man who was stealing a ride when the accident occured. So far as can be learned, he is the only one who really saw the whole affair. The jury returned from Algonquin at 4 p.m. and then proceeded to frame it's verdict. |