Postby dognose » Sat Oct 14, 2017 12:08 pm
A FATAL AUTO ACCIDENT
Second Victim of Railroad Crossing Crash Dies in Bridgeport Hospital
Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 26.—Early last Thursday morning at the Bridgeport Hospital, Frederick Weidlich succumbed to terrible injuries received Wednesday night when his brother, Ernest, was instantly killed and the automobile in which they both had been riding was smashed by a fast moving train at the crossing of the Housatonic Railroad tracks on North Ave. This makes the third member of the Weidlich family whose death has been claimed in railroad accidents, another brother, Charles, having been killed when a trolley overturned at Ash Creek about 10 years ago. Both men were members of Weidlich Bros. Mfg. Co. and resided with their mother at 628 William St.
They were in a closed car, and, according to witnesses before Coroner Phelin, were unable to hear the violent blast which the siren of the onrushing locomotive emitted while approaching the crossing. The stories before the coroner differ somewhat. Engineer Burns and Fireman Wohn say that the automobile passed east in front of the train, while Stephen Barrett and Arthur L. Hayden, who witnessed the accident, said that the machine came north on Lindley St. and turned into the train to proceed west.
Engineer Burns stated that he did not see the automobile until he was almost upon it and then applied the brakes with such force that the engine stopped in its own length, but too late to avoid the tragedy.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 30th January 1918
Trev.