Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1917 — THREE KILLED IN AUTO WRECK [ARTICLE]

THREE KILLED IN AUTO WRECK

Passenger Train Hits Ford Containing Six “ Penions Near Conrad. north of Morocco Wednesday morning when the Ford car in which they were riding was struck by a northbound C. I. & S. passenger train. Mrs. St. Pierre and little son and a small son of Mr. and Mrs. Hoaks, who were also in the machine, escaped. Mrs. St. Pierre, received minor injuries to her back but her condition is not serious. The parties live near Enos, about four miles north of Morocco, and Wednesday morning left home to Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hoaks and a neighbor, Meddie St. Pierre, all about 40 years of age, were instantly killed about seven miles go huckleberry picking near Lake Village. As they approached the

railroad from the west all in the car saw the passenger train approaching from the south, but Mr. Hoaks remarked that he could “beat it across” without any trouble.

At a distance the speed of a train is quite deceptive and as they drew near the crossing it became less** certain that they would have time to get across. However, Mr. Hoaks kept on until he was almost upon the track, when he became confused and tried to stop the car. At this instant he said, “My God, we make it,’’ and called to the others to jump. Mrs. Hoaks, who was riding in the rear seat with Mrs. S,t. Pierre and the two boys, jumped and alighted on the track in front of the train and was mangled beyond recognition. Mrs. St. Pierre and the two boys either jumped or were thrown from the other side of the auto. Mr. Hoaks and Mr. St. Pierre remained in the car, which was picked up" and carried several hundred feet and then demolished, and were also cut and mangled almost beyond recognition.

The train was stopped as quickly as possible and the injured and dead taken aboard, later being transferred to a southbound train and taken to Morocco and placed in the Wright undertaking establishment. Mr. and Mrs. Hoaks are survived by three children, two sons and a daughter, and Mr. St. Pierre leaves the widow and two sons. Both Mr. Hoaks and Mr. St. Pierre were farmers and after several crop failure's had' prospects ’of bountiful crops this year. Both lived upon rented land and the survivors are left—in very moderate circumstances. The above version of the accident was given The Democrat by a resident of Morocco who had talked with Mrs. St. Pierre, and it would appear that the fault was wholly upon the driver of the car. They saw the train approaching and could easily have slackened the speed of the "car a trifle and permitted the train to pass ahead of them. The funeral of Mr. and Mrs. Hoaks was held at the Baptist church in Morocco at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon and the bodies laid to rest in one grave in the Morocco cemetery. The’funeral of Mr. St. Pierre was held at the Catholic church in Morocco yesterday forenoon, and the body laid to rest in the Morocco cemetery. V