MARY OWART

(1874 • 1931)

LOCAL WOMAN ACCIDENT VICTIM

MRS. C. OWART DIES FROM AUTO CRASH INJURY

Passes Away at Green Bay Hospital After Injury as Car Struck By Truck Last Night

Sideswiped by the trailer of a truck proceeding in the same direction on Highway 141 just north of Denmark at 5:30 Friday evening and their car overturned, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Owart were caught in the wreckage of the car and Mrs. Owart received such serious injuries that she died shortly before noon today in a Green Bay hospital. Although the driver of the truck that caused the smashup stopped his car, he later drove away and the name of the firm owning the truck was not ascertained up to two o'clock this afternoon, dispatches from Green Bay stated.

Mr. Owart, Manitowoc painting contractor, and Mrs. Owart were driving back toward Manitowoc in an effort to get home before the full fury of the blizzard struck. Mr. Owart was at the wheel and said when interviewed at the hospital this morning that he was driving with one wheel on the gravel outside of the cement strip. The truck of a Milwaukee trucking concern with a trailer passed him but in turning back into the right side of the highway the driver turned in too quickly and the trailer skidded and caught the Owart car, sideswiping it, and then overturned it in the ditch.

Taken To Green Bay

The car was almost completely wrecked. Passing motorists succeeded in releasing the Manitowoc couple from the wrecked machine and Mrs. Owart, who was the most seriously injured, suffering from a hemorrhage of the brain and broken ribs, was placed in a car driven by a Denmark garage man and rushed to a Green Bay hospital. Mr. Owart suffered only bruises and did not require immediate hospital attention. Mrs. Owart's condition grew gradually worse this morning and she died at 11:30 o'clock.

While authorities at Green Bay were busy this afternoon tracing the identity of the truck driver and company owning the truck concerned in the Owart accident it was expected that officials would order an inquest into the fatal accident. It was announced that the remains of Mrs. Owart would be brought to this city for burial.

To Be Buried Here

Mr. and Mrs. Owart resided at 1206 South Eleventh street here. She was 56 years of age and her maiden name was Mary Landt.

Besides her husband she is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Herbert Tech, Linda, Irma and Leona, all of this city, three sons, Walter, Carl and Leroy, an aged mother Mrs. Landt of Mishicot, one sister, Mrs. William Kracht and two brothers, Louis and Ben.

The funeral will probably be held from the Vogelsang funeral home.

Manitowoc Herald News, Wis., March 28, 1931 P. 1

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Order Inquest In Mrs. Owart's Death

TRAGEDY IS CLIMAX TO MERCY ERRAND

Mr. and Mrs. Owart Enroute Home From Visit to Dying Sister When Accident Occurred

Tragedy, which claimed the life of Mrs. Charles Owart this city Friday evening when she was fatally injured near Denmark as her husband's car was overturned when side-swiped by a truck, came as Mr. and Mrs. Owart were returning from a mission of mercy to Mr. Owart's sister at Loomis, Wis., it was revealed upon Mr. Owart's arrival in the city Saturday afternoon. Mr. Owart had responded to a plea from his sister who is seriously ill that he visit her before her death which she felt was near and it was while on the return trip that the accident occurred.

Mr. Owart who returned here Saturday night from Green Bay told with tears in his eyes how he had listened to the plea of his wife that she be taken with him on his trip to visit his sister, Mrs. Dora Petri, at Loomis. Together they motored up to that place for a visit and started back home shortly after dinner. They reached Green Bay at four o'clock and were proceeding at a speed of only 20 miles an hour when a long platform trailer of the Auto Convoy Co., of Milwaukee, enroute back to Milwaukee passed them near Denmark.

Rescues Wife from Wreck

Mr. Owart reported that he was driving with one wheel on the gravel shoulder of the cement road when the rear of the platform of the passing truck swing over on the icy pavement, caught his small Ford coupe and topple it into the ditch. He was dazed for a time but succeeded in freeing himself and started to extricate his wife who was pinned on the under side of the wrecked body. the driver of the passing truck stopped and came back to the scene of the accident but Mr. Owart said that he received little aid from any one in the vicinity. He finally succeeded in getting his injured wife from the car and wrapped a blanket about her while awaiting the arrival of a Denmark physician.

Mr. Owart declared that a Manitowoc car went by a few moments after the accident, but despite his efforts to hail the car the driver proceeded on without stopping. Finally a Denmark garage man appeared on the scene and putting Mrs. Owart in his car rushed her to a Green Bay hospital., where it was discovered she was suffering from a hemorrhage of the brain, broken ribs and internal injuries. three physicians worked over her most of Friday night but her condition grew steadily worse and she died Saturday noon.

To Hold Inquest

Owart's injuries were not serious. He insisted that he had purposely cut down his speed to 20 miles an hour because of the mist and rain and he realized the danger from passing convoys, a fleet of which were returning to their base at Milwaukee. reports from Green Bay today stated that Coroner frank J. Hodek announced that there would be an inquest into the death of Mrs. Owart as soon as identity of the driver of the Auto convoy truck was definitely established and he could be brought to Green Bay to testify.

Funeral on Wednesday

Funeral services for Mrs. Owart will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 1:45 from the home on South Eleventh street and at two o'clock from the St. John's Evangelical church.

Besides the husband, four daughters, three sons, Mrs. Owart's aged mother, Mrs. Barbara Landt also survive. Mrs. Landt, whose home is at Mishicot, has not been told of her daughter's death as it is feared the shock would be too much for her enfeebled condition. Two brothers and a sister also survive.

The deceased was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagles and the Ladies Aid Society of the St. John's church.

Manitowoc Herald News, Wis., March 30, 1931 P. 2

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ACCUSE DRIVER IN OWART DEATH

A coroner's inquest into the manner in which Mrs. Charles Owart of this city came to her death near Denmark in Brown County on March 27, was held at Green Bay last Thursday.

Mr. Owart testified that his car was way over at the right and that the trailer of a big truck passing him from behind knocked the car into the ditch killing Mrs. Owart. A second truck driver of the same fleet who was farther behind said that the truck or trailer never came in contact with Mr. Owart's car, but was hard put to it to explain how Mr. Owart's left rear wheel was smashed to bits and the rest of the car not injured. The driver under accusation said he couldn't see whether the trailer hit or not, but he felt no jar.

The jury lost no time in agreeing with Mr. Owart that he had been bumped off the road and further found the driver, Chase Ghele, guilty of reckless driving. George Kennedy, formerly of this city, was foreman of the jury.

Those big trucks with trailers used for conveying Ford cars are sixty feet long and the driver has practically no control of the rear end of the trailer.

Manitowoc Pilot, Wis., Thurs., April 16, 1931

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City and County:

Mr. Karl Owart of this city and Miss Maria Landt of Gibson were married December 11, Rev. Mr. Machmuller officiating.

Manitowoc Pilot, Wis., Thursday, December 16, 1897 pg. 3

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• died in Green Bay, WI
• buried 04-01-1931
• cause: hemorrhage into medulla-automobile accident
• buried on Charles Owart lot

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