William Kemper, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
William Kemper
THE SAD STORY.
Of the Terrible Collision Between a Fast Newspaper Train and Two Handcars Loaded With Pleasure Seekers.
THREE DEAD AND ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
R. C. Hobbs, of Burdick, Tells the Story of the Accident.
The dead are: William Sabinski, of Burdick, head and face crushed.
Wm. Kemper, Pine township, head crushed, arms and legs broken, body smashed. Edith Sabinsky, aged 10 years, right leg broken, internal injuries.
The injured are: Mary Sabinsky, aged 12, right elbow broken, back hurt, two ribs broken, and back of the neck injured. Recovery doubtful.
The above list of casualties was the result of an accident caused by fast newspaper train, No. 44, overtaking two handcars loaded with people on their way home from a Thanksgiving dance at Chesterton early Friday morning, Nov. 25. this train passes through Chesterton at 3:43 a. m. east bound, and runs a mile a minute schedule.
The story of the tragedy, as told by H. C. Hobbs, of Burdick, and one of the party, is as follows:
"We attended the Foresters' Thanksgiving ball at Chesterton and were on our way home having two hand cars in our service." The following were those on the front car:
Wm Sabinske
Mary Sabinske
Albert Miller
Edith Sabinske
R. C. Hobb
Louis Kressel
Those on the rear car were:
August Fausch
Wm Kemper
Henry Reynolds
Geo. Sabinske
"We left Chesterton about 3:30 a. m. and started east on the east bound track. Nothing was said as to the time the paper train was due. Being unfamiliar with the train schedule and thinking that the others would certainly know whether it was dangerous to venture on the tracks, as they were mostly railroad men, I merely took my place at the rear handle, Kressel being at my left side, with Sabinske and Miller in front, and two little girls sat at our feet. We all faced the way we were going, and as the car made considerable noise we did not hear the paper train approach until it was right upon us, the discovery being made by Fausch on the rear car, when he yelled "jump." It seems to me that I had hardly taken my foot from the floor, when the train crashed into the car at my side and thundered by at a terrific rate of speed. When I had regained myself, for I was rather dazed for a moment, owing to the sudden shock, I pushed my way about among the debris of the wrecked hand cars to find the little girls, for I heard them groaning. Soon I was joined by the others who had been on the rear car, they having escaped uninjured. Directly we were joined by three trainmen, the train having come to a halt about a quarter of a mile away.
"Investigation disclosed that Wm. Sabinske, the father of the little girls and Geo. Sabinske, had been thrown down a steep embankment. The former was dead when we found him, death was probably instantaneous as his face was horribly crushed. The girls were found at the side of the track, one being unconscious."
By this time the train had backed up, and the trainmen assisted by a number of passengers placed the injured girls aboard the baggage-car. Sabinske was then brought from the bottom of the embankment and placed in the baggage car also. The tracks and ditches were then searched for Kemper, it being sometime before he was located on the pilot of the engine, while his head, or what was left of it, was on the other side."
Robert Sabinsky read the above statement and pronounced it correct, except that instead of "George" he should have said it was "Robert" Sabinsky that was on the car, and that Kressel was on the rear car, and he (Robert) Sabinsky was on the front car opposite Hobbs. Robert says that he made the fatal mistake. He looked at his watch before starting and supposed the time was 2:15 instead of 3:15. Thinking there was ample time to reach home ahead of the paper train, he and Albert Miller went to the depot, and put the hand cars on the track. They then returned for the crowd. This took 15 minutes, and the start home was made under the impression that the time was 2:30. The strange part of the story is that no one else thought to look at their watches.
After taking the whole party aboard, with its dead and wounded, the train proceded to Otis, where all were left. In telling of the accident, Engineer Fleming said: My fireman had just put several shovelsful of coal into the firebox, and clouds of black smoke poured forth from the smokestack, partially hiding my view of the track ahead. When it cleared away we were right upon the hand cars, it being too late to even blow the whistle. The engine pulled into Elkhart besmeared with the blood and brains of the illfated victim.
The body of Wm. Sabinsky was brought to Chesterton and placed in Undertaker Lundberg's morgue and an inquest held over the remains by Coroner Ketchum. Edith, his daughter, died Friday, never regaining consciousness from the time she was struck, and the funeral of the two was held Sunday at Chesterton. Sabinsky was 37 years old, and before the accident had a family of a wife and seven little children ranging from two months old to nine years, and her eldest child. 12 years, whose death is daily expected. The husband and father was insured in the Independent Order of Foresters and his family will get $1000 on his life.
Wm. Kemper is a prominent Pinetownship farmer, who has twice been trustee of that township. His funeral was held Monday at Michigan City.
The Lake Shore company have discharged Section boss Fausch, it being against orders to have a hand car out except on railroad business. Poor Sabinskly needs no discharge. The terrible accident has cast a pall of gloom over the entire community.
Newspaper: The Chesterton Tribune
Date of Publication: December 3, 1898
Volume Number: 15
Issue Number: 34
Page: 4
Column(s): 3 and 4
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook