FRANK AND DOROTHY KUCERA

FOUR LIVES SACRIFICED WHEN AUTO DRIVER GAMBLES WITH DEATH TO SAVE
MINUTE TIME ON TRIP HOME
Three Two Rivers People Killed Outright and Fourth Dies as Result of Car
Being Struck by Passenger Train at Two Rivers Crossing of Northwestern Line
Sunday Afternoon Girl, Fifth Passenger in Car Saved by Jumping.
Four Persons are dead and a fifth, a _____ _____ and was seriously injured,
as result of the worst ___ accident ever recorded in Manitowoc county Sunday
when an automobile, carrying five persons, was struck by a Northwestern
passenger train at the Two Rivers crossing on the Lake Shore drive. The dead
are:
FRANK KUCERA, 60, Two Rivers, owner of the car.
MRS. FRANK KUCERA, 55, his wife.
FRANK BAUMANN, 50, Two Rivers.
(sic) Mrs. Baumann’s name not listed)
The injured:
MISS CLARA BAUMANN, 16, body severely bruised, not fatally hurt.
Kucera and his party who had left Two Rivers early in the day to attend the
celebration of Bohemian societies at the opera house in this city, were
returning to their home along the concrete road in a Ford car, Kucera driving
the machine. At the approach to the railway crossing several cars had halted
to await the passing of the train which leaves here at 4:28 for Milwaukee, but
Kucera passed the waiting cars and attempted to make the crossing in advance
of the train despite warnings shouted to him.
Girl Saved by Jumping
As the automobile neared the crossing and the certainty of death appeared, the
Baumann girl leaped from the car which was running at a speed of 30?? miles. She
suffered severe bruises but saved her life, being the only one of the party to
escape death.
Three Killed Outright.
Three of the four remaining occupants of the automobile were killed outright
while Kucera, who was found pinioned under the car at the wheel, his skull
fractured and internally injured, died yesterday at noon at the hospital, no
hope of his recovery being entertained when the extent of injuries became known
immediately after the accident.
Car Hit in Center
The engine of the passenger train struck the automobile almost in the center,
throwing the car into the air and carrying it a distance of fifty feet or more.
The radiator was torn off and the body completely wrecked.
Baumann Is Decapitated
When the collision occurred Baumann, his wife and Mrs. Kucera, were killed outright,
the bodies being terribly mangled, Baumann being decapitated while Mrs. Baumann’s
head was crushed. Mrs. Kucera’s body was cut open from the neck to the hips and
her jaw was broken, the three bodies being mutilated beyond recognition. Pieces
of bones and flesh from the three bodies were picked up for a distance of 100 feet
or more while a purse carried by Mrs. Kucera was found torn open and in shreds
fifty feet from the place where the body was picked up.
Several Witness Tragedy
The accident was witnessed by several automobiles, people in cars had stopped ___
___ train and had ___ warnings to Kuchera who it is most apparent, was flirting with
death ___ __ a second of time. Mr. Hamilton, who was one of the witnesses of the __
accident, declared it the most terrible __ had ever seen at __ __ __ the strongest
of persons.
Girl Hystercial
The Baumann girl, who was saved by leaping from ___ and was taken to the office of
Dr. Currens at Two Rivers. She was unable to give details of the accident but said
that she and the other occupants of the automobile had pleaded with Kucera to slow
down and to stop his car and wait for the train. She has no recollection of leaping
from the car and says she thinks that she fainted and fell from the machine, but
witnesses say that the girl jumped.
Brother in German Army
Miss Baumann, who lost both her father and mother in the tragedy, has a brother who
is at present __ __ the German army and stationed with the kaiser’s troops on the
west front in Europe. She (3lines underinked )
Bodies Are Removed
Coroner Louis Faige and District Attorney E.S. Schmidt ___ of the tragedy and
reached the scene in a short time. The bodies of the dead were taken to Two Rivers
and Kucera, who was still alive, was removed to the hospital where he died yesterday.
(2 lines underinked).
Two Double Funerals
Two double funerals __ __ for Kucera and his wife and the other from the Baumann
home for Mr. and Mrs. Baumann will be held at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. Interment
of the four bodies will be at Two Rivers.
Men Employes of Hamilton
Both Kucera and Baumann were employed at the Hamilton company plant in Two Rivers.
Baumann and family ___ to Two Rivers only a short time ago. Mrs. Baumann came here
to care for the home of her sister, Mrs. Wachal, whose death occurred several months
ago and __ later joined by her husband and daughter. The family had ___ __ from
Kucera to ___ yesterday.
Inquest To Be Held
Coroner Falge ___ the tragedy ___ which will ___ and fix responsibility at 9 tomorrow,
at Two Rivers. It is said at Two Rivers that Kucera was known for his fast driving
since he had owned a car and appeared to be unable ____ his car slow.
Train Crew to Testify
Members of the Northwestern train crew will be called to testify at the inquest. The
train was in charge of Conductor James McCuskey and Engineer John Dwyer was in the
cab. The train leaves the Two Rivers station at 4 o’clock for this city. It is noted
that the train which has a number of coaches does not attain a high rate of speed by
the time it reaches the crossing which is less than half a -___ from the station.
Manitowoc Daily Herald, September 5, 1916 P. 1
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[Dorothea Kucera]